Fluoroquinolones Can Cause Peripheral Neuropathy

A Baltimore County Maryland woman filed a lawsuit against the manufacturers of the antibiotic drug Levaquin. The defendants in the lawsuit are Johnson & Johnson; Johnson and Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development L.L.C.; Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceutical, Inc.; and McKesson Corporation. The plaintiff claims that the pharmaceutical defendants failed to warn of the dangerous risks associated with the drug including peripheral neuropathy and that as a result of the defendant’s actions the plaintiff developed peripheral neuropathy among other damages.

In 1996, Levaquin was approved by the FDA to treat certain bacterial infections including lung, sinus, skin and urinary tract infection. Levaquin (levofloxacin) is a subset of antibiotics known as fluoroquinolones. Fluoroquinolones include the drugs Cipro (ciprofloxacin), Avelox (moxifloxacin), Noroxin (norfloxacin), Floxin (ofloxacin), and Factive (gemifloxacin).

In 2013, the FDA required manufacturers to update products labels to include the risk of possible nerve damage. Label updates regarding the risk of peripheral neuropathy associated with the use of fluoroquinolone were included in a 2004 label update, however, “the potential rapid onset and risk of permanent damage were not adequately described.” Peripheral neuropathy is a serious nerve disorder characterized by damage to the nerves that extend from the spinal cord to the bodies extremities. Symptoms include numbness, tingling, burning, unusual sensations, weakness and chronic pain experienced typically in the arms, hands, legs, and feet.

If you used Levaquin or any fluoroquinolone antibiotic prior to 2013, and developed peripheral neuropathy, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Call 800-977-5614 to speak to Jacoby & Meyers attorney today.

Statutes of limitations to file your claim apply.

Zachary Mayberry, student intern Jacoby & Meyers, LLC.