First Settlements of Levaquin Trials Find Fault With Warnings

An antibiotic sold since 1997 is the subject of a proposed class action that argues the drug causes a higher incidence of tendon injuries. Levaquin, a broad spectrum fluoroquinolone antibiotic, is marketed as a first-line therapy for common bronchitis and sinusitis infections. It is also approved for the use in treatment of various upper respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, prostatitis and other bacterial infections. Many injured parties continue to seek legal council in order to file a Levaquin lawsuit throughout the United States against Johnson & Johnson and Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceuticals over problems with Levaquin tendon ruptures. According to court documents, there are currently over 1500 Levaquin injury lawsuits pending in federal court, with hundreds more expected to be filed in the coming months.

New Jersey to See Levaquin Trials Go Forward

Sometime this month or early next month, the first of the New Jersey Levaquin lawsuit trials will begin with a combination of claims brought by Bob Beare and Paul Gaffney. Many plaintiffs, like Beare and Gaffney allege that they were inadequately warned about known risks associated with taking Levaquin. Levaquin tendon side effects, including increased risk of tendon damage and tendon ruptures, particularly involving the Achilles tendon. Levaquin is part of a class of antibiotics known as fluoroquinolones.  Although many of the reported cases of tendon ruptures have been associated with the use of Levaquin, the side effects have also been seen with the use of other antibiotics which are part of this class.

Levaquin Lawsuits Hit or Miss

Plaintiffs in Levaquin-related cases were hopeful after a Levaquin lawyer netted his 82-year-old client a settlement of more than a million dollars - $1.8 million, to be precise – in a Levaquin-related lawsuit against drugmaker Johnson & Johnson. The man had ruptured both of his Achilles tendons after taking the antibiotic, and this success encouraged many of the more than 2,500 Levaquin plaintiffs, reassuring them that their cases could be successful.

Patients Question Levaquin Lawsuit Eligibility

With more than 2,500 Levaquin lawsuits in various stages of the litigation process in courts across the country, and around 1,000 of those lawsuits centralized in multidistrict litigation in Minnesota, the media attention suddenly surrounding the antibiotic has led many patients to question whether or not they could potentially have a Levaquin case.

Bellwether Trails Set Precedent in Levquin Side Effect Cases

Since Levaquin was introduced in 1997, Johnson & Johnson has failed, according to the Levaquin lawsuits filed against Johnson & Johnson, to adequately warn about the risk of tendon ruptures side effects associated with the antibiotic, particularly involving the Achilles tendon. Although a “black box” warning was announced in July 2008 for all antibiotics in the same class, Johnson & Johnson still does not indicate that Levaquin is more tendon toxic than the other drugs in the class. A handful of cases, known as bellwether lawsuits, were selected for early trials in the Multidistrict Litigation to help the parties gauge the relative strengths and weaknesses of their cases, by determining how juries respond to evidence that is likely to be similar throughout many cases in the litigation. The results of the bellwether trials may h

Levaquin Lawsuit Eligibility Considered

More than 2,500 Levaquin lawsuits have been filed by plaintiffs who have experienced tendon rupture and rotator cuff tearing associated with the broad-spectrum antibiotic Levaquin, but only one has seen trial. John Schedin suffered Achilles tendon ruptures after only eight days on Levaquin. His lawsuit was chosen as the first bellwether trial in Levaquin consolidated federal litigation – a bellwether trial is a preliminary trial that will help Levaquin lawyers and plaintiffs gauge the possible outcome for their own trial.

Lawsuit Win Sets Way for Further Compensations from Levaquin

Levaquin is a 3rd-generation fluoroquinolone antibiotic, manufactured by Ortho-McNeil, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. Doctors prescribe Levaquin as an antibiotic to treat bacterial infections in many different parts of the body. It does not work for viral infections (for example, the common cold). While patients taking Levaquin have reported a variety of minor side-effects, common with any medication, the most serious Levaquin side effect reported has been an increased risk of Achilles tendonitis among current and former patients. Several studies published in accredited medical journals have cited case studies in which individuals who have taken Levaquin have been adversely affected by levofloxacin-induced tendonopathy and tendon rupture.