FORT WORTH, Texas, May 24, 2011
/PRNewswire/ -- The family of a child who almost lost her life after taking Children's Motrin has been awarded $10 million by a jury in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Thirteen-year-old plaintiff Brianna Maya suffered a severe life threatening reaction after taking Children's Motrin for a fever and cough. While doctors were able to save her life she was left with lifelong injuries that continue to put her health at risk in the future.
"The award is based on the severity of Brianna's injuries and the fact that Johnson & Johnson and McNeil were well aware of the danger before Brianna's vision was lost and did nothing to protect her or dozens of children like her," said her attorney Keith Jensen of the Jensen Law Firm. "Jurors heard overwhelming evidence that Motrin/Ibuprofen causes perhaps the most horrific disease there is, toxic epidermal necrolysis or TEN, and consequent blindness. Jurors also heard overwhelming evidence that Johnson & Johnson and McNeil went out of their way to not only not warn parents of this but to avoid warning parents of the signs or symptoms of TEN, so they can get their children off Motrin before it's too late." Jensen stated: "The signs and symptoms of TEN which should result in stopping Motrin are skin reddening, rash or blisters."
Brianna's TEN resulted in blindness, facial disfigurement and 50% lung function. TEN is diagnosed when 30% or more of your skin burns off; approximately 60% of people die from TEN and about half the survivors have disabling eye conditions or worse. TEN is synonymous with poisonous skin death and is virtually always caused by medications. TEN attacks not only the skin but all mucous membranes; the eyes, nasal lining, mouth, lungs, trachea, genetalia and rectum. One of the premier burn surgeons in our country who treats TEN described the condition as "Hell on Earth."
Brianna was diagnosed with TEN within days of taking 8 doses of Children's Motrin in an ICU at a Memphis Children's Hospital. From there she was careflighted to Shriner's Burn Hospital in Galveston, Texas where she almost died three times, lost 84 percent of her skin and underwent three debridement surgeries where cadaver or pig skin was substituted for her own skin. Brianna Maya was forced to learn Braille, but has recovered vision in one eye and remains legally blind in the other despite 16 eye surgeries. Four of her treating physicians, including her treating burn surgeon at Shriner's, testified that they were at least 99% certain that Children's Motrin was the sole cause of Brianna's TEN and resultant injuries.
"Maya and her family faced huge medical bills and will continue to have to pay for medical treatment for injuries that will cause extensive pain, suffering and emotional distress," said Jensen. "The award will help the family cope with her continuing medical issues but will never make up for the fact that she will live with the ravages of TEN for life."
The trial was held in the Court of Common Pleas, First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, Civil Trial division. Defendants included Johnson & Johnson, McNeil-PPC, Inc. and Specialty Pharmaceuticals, a McNeil division.
About The Jensen Law Firm
Keith M. Jensen obtained the largest verdict in the history of New Hampshire, over $21 million, in September 2010. The NH verdict was in another Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) induced TEN case (Ibuprofen is an NSAID). In addition to the $31 million in verdicts against drug companies in the last nine months, in the past four years Mr. Jensen has achieved settlements totaling more than $96 million, all from some of the largest drug companies in the world, all in individual cases. Mr. Jensen represents hundreds of persons who have claims against Bayer for the withdrawn drug Trasylol and hundreds of persons with claims against GlaxoSmithKline for the withdrawn drug Avandia. For more information, see www.stevensjohnsonsyndrome.org
SOURCE The Jensen Law Firm
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"The award is based on the severity of Brianna's injuries and the fact that Johnson & Johnson and McNeil were well aware of the danger before Brianna's vision was lost and did nothing to protect her or dozens of children like her," said her attorney Keith Jensen of the Jensen Law Firm. "Jurors heard overwhelming evidence that Motrin/Ibuprofen causes perhaps the most horrific disease there is, toxic epidermal necrolysis or TEN, and consequent blindness. Jurors also heard overwhelming evidence that Johnson & Johnson and McNeil went out of their way to not only not warn parents of this but to avoid warning parents of the signs or symptoms of TEN, so they can get their children off Motrin before it's too late." Jensen stated: "The signs and symptoms of TEN which should result in stopping Motrin are skin reddening, rash or blisters."
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Brianna's TEN resulted in blindness, facial disfigurement and 50% lung function. TEN is diagnosed when 30% or more of your skin burns off; approximately 60% of people die from TEN and about half the survivors have disabling eye conditions or worse. TEN is synonymous with poisonous skin death and is virtually always caused by medications. TEN attacks not only the skin but all mucous membranes; the eyes, nasal lining, mouth, lungs, trachea, genetalia and rectum. One of the premier burn surgeons in our country who treats TEN described the condition as "Hell on Earth."
Brianna was diagnosed with TEN within days of taking 8 doses of Children's Motrin in an ICU at a Memphis Children's Hospital. From there she was careflighted to Shriner's Burn Hospital in Galveston, Texas where she almost died three times, lost 84 percent of her skin and underwent three debridement surgeries where cadaver or pig skin was substituted for her own skin. Brianna Maya was forced to learn Braille, but has recovered vision in one eye and remains legally blind in the other despite 16 eye surgeries. Four of her treating physicians, including her treating burn surgeon at Shriner's, testified that they were at least 99% certain that Children's Motrin was the sole cause of Brianna's TEN and resultant injuries.
"Maya and her family faced huge medical bills and will continue to have to pay for medical treatment for injuries that will cause extensive pain, suffering and emotional distress," said Jensen. "The award will help the family cope with her continuing medical issues but will never make up for the fact that she will live with the ravages of TEN for life."
The trial was held in the Court of Common Pleas, First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, Civil Trial division. Defendants included Johnson & Johnson, McNeil-PPC, Inc. and Specialty Pharmaceuticals, a McNeil division.
About The Jensen Law Firm
Keith M. Jensen obtained the largest verdict in the history of New Hampshire, over $21 million, in September 2010. The NH verdict was in another Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) induced TEN case (Ibuprofen is an NSAID). In addition to the $31 million in verdicts against drug companies in the last nine months, in the past four years Mr. Jensen has achieved settlements totaling more than $96 million, all from some of the largest drug companies in the world, all in individual cases. Mr. Jensen represents hundreds of persons who have claims against Bayer for the withdrawn drug Trasylol and hundreds of persons with claims against GlaxoSmithKline for the withdrawn drug Avandia. For more information, see www.stevensjohnsonsyndrome.org
SOURCE The Jensen Law Firm
