Experienced pharmaceutical injury lawyers Golomb & Honik have brought lawsuits on behalf of people injured from Levaquin use. Call our office at 215 985-9177 to speak to an attorney who is an expert in this field. We will provide you with a knowledgeable and in-depth evaluation of your case, at no charge.
Levaquin (generic name – levofloxacin) is a wide-spectrum antibiotic drug. It is manufactured and marketed by Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals (part of Johnson & Johnson). In the United States, Levaquin is approved for use to treat sinusitis, exacerbated chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, urinary tract infections and prostatitis. Levaquin is available by tablet or injection.
Levaquin has been associated with an increased risk of tendonitis and ruptured tendons. Many people treated with Levaquin have suffered from torn tendons, especially in the heel (Achilles), the shoulder (rotator cuff), biceps, hands or thumbs. These injuries can be painful and debilitating, and can mean a substantial alteration of lifestyle, especially for active people. Torn tendons take a long time to heal, may never heal properly or completely, and can result in significant lost work time. Patients are frequently put in casts for four to eight weeks before regaining full mobility. These surgeries can cost around $12,000.
Despite massive amounts of evidence dating back as far as ten (10) years, it was not until July of 2008 that the FDA finally mandated a black box warning on the medication packaging for possible tendon damage. This warning does not adequately warn physicians and patients of the risks associated with Levaquin. Other side effects associated with Levaquin include confusion, hallucinations and psychosis. Headaches, nausea, constipation, nervousness and trouble sleeping are other side effects associated with the drug. Levaquin, and the entire class of drugs (fluoroquinolones), is not approved for use with children except under special circumstances.
Because so many lawsuits have been filed against Ortho McNeil regarding Levaquin, the cases brought by people injured by Levaquin have been consolidated. Levaquin drug injury lawyers successfully petitioned the Judicial Panel on Multi-District Litigation (JPML) for consolidation of Levaquin cases into a Multi-District Litigation (MDL) proceeding, which allows the cases to be combined before one federal judge for the purpose of common discovery. An MDL has been formed in federal district court in Minnesota before Judge Tunheim. In addition, because so many cases have been filed in New Jersey (the defendant’s home state), the state court system has consolidated all Levaquin liability claims into one court, the Mass Torts court, led by Judge Carol Higbee in the Superior Court of Atlantic County, New Jersey.
If you or a loved one has been prescribed Levaquin and have suffered a tendon injury, you need to speak with experienced pharmaceutical liability attorneys. The law firm of Golomb & Honik have brought lawsuits on behalf of people injured from Levaquin use. Call our office at 215 985-9177. We will provide you with a knowledgeable and in-depth evaluation of your case, at no charge. |
