Samantha Reckis v. Johnson & Johnson

The family of Samantha Reckis sued Johnson & Johnson on a products liability theory claiming that Samantha suffered a severe reaction in response to being given Children's Motrin and that Johnson & Johnson failed to warn patients adequately about the painkiller's potential side effects. Samantha was given the populat pain reliever after showing signs of fever around Thanksgiving in 2003. She developed Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, an extremely rare and painful skin disorder caused by an adverse reaction of the drug. TEN, is the most severe form of a more common skin disorder, called Stevens-Johnson syndrome.



Samantha suffered skin, lung and liver damage and is legally blind.



Johnson & Johnson denied wrongdoing and claimed that Plaintiffs' claims were barred by Federal law. It further asserted: "Children's MOTRIN® (ibuprofen), when used as directed, is a safe and effective treatment option for minor aches and pains and fever,” the company said, "and we believe the medicine is labeled appropriately.”



Ibuprofen causes Stevens-Johnson syndrome in about 300 cases each year.



The package insert for the children's version given to Samantha did not contain any warnings about Stevens-Johnson syndrom.



Information from: http://www.bostonglobe.com

Plaintiffs' verdict for $63 million including $50 million to Samantha and $6.5 million to each of her parents.