A teenage girls parents has been awarded a whopping sum of $109 million after their daughter suffered a life threatening drug reaction. The Associated Press reported that Johnson & Johnson has to pay Samantha Reckis and her parents a total of $109 million including interest after a drug reaction to Motrin brand ibuprofen made her lose most of her skin as well as other crippling side effects when she took the drug nearly a decade ago.
A Plymouth Superior Court jury made the decision on Wednesday. The incident happened when Samantha was 7-years-old and suffered a side effect called toxic epidermal necrolysis which caused her to go blind and lose 90 percent of her skin.
She was given the drug by her parents the day after Thanksgiving in 2003 and she had taken the pain reliever before with no reaction.
She also suffered brain damage that only caused short term memory loss and surgeons had to drill through her skull to relieve pressure, reported the AP. She also only has 20 percent lung capacity as well as the disease affected her respitory system.
"The family filed the lawsuit in January 2007, claiming that Samantha was blinded by Motrin and alleging that Johnson & Johnson failed to warn consumers that the drug could cause life-threatening reactions. The five-week trial ended on Wednesday when the jury awarded $50 million in compensatory damages to Samantha and $6.5 million to each of her parents," reported the AP.
Skinassn.org reported the symptoms of "Both Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis and SJS can start with non-specific symptoms such as cough, aching, headaches, and feverishness. This can be followed by more specific symptoms such as a red rash across the face and the trunk of the body, which can continue to spread to other parts of the body."
"The mucous membranes can become inflamed, and with Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis layers of the skin can also come away with ease and often the skin peels away in sheets. The hair and nails can also come away in some cases, and sufferers can become cold and feverish," reported the website.
The AP reported that the epidermal necrolysis inflamed Samantha's mouth, eyes, throat, esophagus, intestinal tract, respitory system and reproductive system which forced physicians to put her into a coma.
The McNeil unit of Johnson & Johnson Services Inc. said in a statement according to the AP, "The Reckis family has suffered a tragedy, and we sympathize deeply with them ... A number of medicines, including ibuprofen, have been associated with allergic reactions and as noted on the label, consumers should stop using medications and immediately contact a healthcare professional if they have an allergic reaction."
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