Three W Va Lawsuits Claim Tendon Damage from Levaquin
By Jim Greene
Published on January 20, 2010
Three personal injury lawsuits have been filed in federal court in West Virginia, claiming tendon damage from taking the prescription antibiotic Levaquin®. Johnson & Johnson and Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. are named as defendants.
Separate Levaquin® lawsuits were filed by Troy N. Giatras of The Giatras Law Firm of Charleston, W. Va., in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. Plaintiffs are Pheoba M. Bostic, Keith E. Morgan and Rebecca J. Cook. Each is asking for more than $75,000 in medical costs, punitive damages, attorney's fees, and other expenses.
Defendants Took Levaquin® to Control Infections
Bostic and Cook claim severe tendinitis. Bostic says Levaquin® was prescribed for treatment of a persistent cough and asthma; Cook, for an infection. Morgan says he developed bilateral Achilles tendon ruptures; he was also being treated for infection.
Levaquin® is in a class of antibacterial drugs known as fluoroquinolones, used to treat upper respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, inflammation of the prostate, and other bacterial infections.
In 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered the defendants to emphasize in its product warnings regarding the danger of tendon injuries to those taking Levaquin®, especially those over the age of 60 and those who have had kidney, heart, or lung transplants.
Plaintiffs Echo Complaints Common to Many Lawsuits
Giatras' clients cite claims used in numerous Levaquin® lawsuits: that the defendants did not do enough to warn patients of potential side effects until ordered to do so by the FDA; that those over 60 who suffer damage to the Achilles tendon may never fully recover; and that, while all fluoroquinolones present the risk of tendon damage, the risk from Levaquin® is greater than from other medications in the class.
If you or someone you know took Levaquin® or any other fluoroquinolone for bacterial infection and developed tendinitis or a ruptured tendon, you may be eligible for financial compensation. Contact an experienced defective products/personal injury attorney who will fight for your right to recover medical costs and lost income, as well as being compensated for pain and suffering.
Keyword Tags: