Levaquin Lawsuit - Side Effect Injury

Bacterial infections are very common in the medical world, and while it can be difficult to treat them in certain situations, there are medications in existence that have been quite effective for that purpose.  One such medication is known as Levaquin, and it’s manufactured by Ortho-McNeil.  Levaquin has enjoyed a high level of success in terms of use and revenue generation.

Why is Levaquin Used?

• Urinary tract infections
• Prostate infections
• Skin infections
• Kidney infections
• Sinus infections

Levaquin has also been used to treat patients as a temporary solution until lab results came back and more specific diagnoses and prescriptions could be formulated.  Scientifically speaking, Levaquin is a member of a class of drugs known as fluoroquinolones, which are commonly referred to as quinolones.  These types of drugs work by interfering with the growth and spread of enzymes known as topoisomerase IV and DNA gyrase.  This interference tends to prevent the spread of bacterial infections.

Since being approved for use by the FDA in 1996, Levaquin has also obtained approval for uses in addition to bacterial infections.  These additional uses include treatment for certain strains of pneumonia and approval for the treatment of anthrax, which has been in the spotlight in recent years based on potential public health concerns.

Side Effects of Levaquin

After several years on the market, however, negative reports of patients experiencing serious side effects after using Levaquin began to surface.  While these side effects were somewhat varied in terms of the part of the body affected, there was an apparent common thread, that being the tendency for tendons to incur soreness, to be strained or even to rupture.  Examples of these side effects included:

• Hand injuries
• Thumb injuries
• Rotator cuff injuries
• Biceps injuries
• Achilles tendon inflammation
• Achilles tendonitis
• Achilles tendon ruptures

While the term ‘tendonitis’ is one that seems to be less than serious, it is extremely painful, presents itself with limited range of motion and can be chronic in nature.  In addition, there is no medication or procedure available that cures tendonitis.  The only known cure is that which involves sometimes prolonged periods of rest.

However, the most serious side effect is the Achilles tendon rupture.  When the tendon ruptures, it needs to be reconstructed with invasive surgery.  When the surgical procedure is complete and assuming it went well, the patient still faces several months of intensive and sometimes excruciating physical rehabilitation before the patient can regain the full use of the lower leg.  

Levaquin Lawyers and Levaquin Attorneys

In response to the growing number of reports that began to arise regarding the side effects described above, the FDA ultimately got involved.  It did so by issuing an order to the manufacturer that a ‘Black Box’ warning be affixed to all containers of Levaquin.  Such a warning is one of the more severe steps that the FDA can take short of a full recall, and it’s intended to provide anyone who sees these containers clear and direct warnings regarding the potential dangers that could be encountered by those who use them.  
In addition to the action taken by the FDA, Levaquin lawyers around the United States began to accept incoming inquiries from patients who had been injured after using this medication.  Lawsuits have been filed, and every action that’s active on different court dockets will likely deal with the same legal issue – whether Levaquin was the cause of the injuries suffered by these patients.

File a Levaquin Lawsuit

As can be seen, the use of Levaquin can be dangerous for some patients.  If you have used this medication and experienced pain in your joints or legs or you’ve suffered full-blown injuries such as a rupture of the Achilles tendon, you need to act now to obtain the information you need regarding your legal rights and options.
While the lawsuits mentioned above could continue to grow in number, you still need to make sure that you’re doing everything possible to make sure that your claim is heard and handled properly.  That can be done by contacting the defective drugs lawyers at Phillips & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.