Antibiotic Peripheral Neuropathy

Lawsuits are being filed on behalf of patients who took fluoroquinolone antibiotic drugs, such as Levaquin or Avelox, and developed a specific type of nerve damage known as peripheral neuropathy.

The lawsuits claim that patients and doctors were not adequately warned that nerve damage could occur at any point during antibiotic treatment and may be permanent. Patients are seeking compensation from the drugs’ manufacturers for medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering.

If you or a loved one suffered nerve damage after taking a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, such as Levaquin or Cipro, you may be able to file a lawsuit.

Lawsuits: Levaquin, Avelox Are Defective, Can Cause Serious Nerve Damage

The manufacturers of several fluoroquinolone antibiotics are currently facing lawsuits alleging that their drugs are defective, dangerous and put patients at an increased risk of developing nerve damage.

"The companies failed to adequately warn patients about this side effect and continued to market their antibiotics as safe and effective."

In the lawsuits, plaintiffs claim that studies dating back to 1992 linked fluoroquinolone antibiotics to a serious type of nerve damage known as peripheral neuropathy. According to the plaintiffs, the makers of Levaquin (Johnson & Johnson and Janssen Pharmaceuticals) and Avelox (Bayer Corp. and Merck & Co.) knew or should have known about multiple studies highlighting this risk; however, the companies failed to adequately warn patients about this side effect and continued to market their antibiotics as safe and effective , according to the suits. The suits also claim that the warnings for peripheral neuropathy failed to disclose that this medical condition could be irreversible and may develop just days after taking the drugs.

Is This a Class Action?

These lawsuits will not continue as a class action. Class actions are often reserved for instances in which a large number of people suffered minimal losses (e.g., the cost of purchasing a product that was falsely advertised) and filing individual lawsuits would not be financially viable. To learn more about why these lawsuits will not continue as a class action, click here.

Because this is not a class action, patients who were diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy after taking Levaquin, Cipro or any other fluoroquinolone antibiotic will need to hire attorneys to file their own lawsuits.

What Can I Collect In a Lawsuit?

How Much Does a Lawyer Cost?

Defective drug lawyers typically work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning that they will only collect a fee if they favorably resolve your case. In these cases, they will take a percentage of your final settlement or verdict.

FDA Warns Cipro, Other Antibiotics May Cause Permanent Nerve Damage

In August 2013, the FDA announced that the makers of fluoroquinolone drugs should provide clearer warnings about the risk of peripheral neuropathy.

Previously, the labels for these drugs listed peripheral neuropathy as a rare but potential side effect. The label update, however, removed the term “rare” from the warning for these drugs. The change came after the FDA reviewed adverse event reports and found dozens of patients suffering symptoms of nerve damage after taking fluoroquinolones. Some patients experienced these symptoms just days after taking one of the drugs and, in some cases, the symptoms did not cease for months or even years after they stopped taking the antibiotics, according the FDA.

In light of these reports, the agency also concluded that the previous warnings on these drugs did not adequately describe the possibility that patients could develop peripheral neuropathy at any time or that the condition may be permanent.

Many organizations and citizens are now calling for the peripheral neuropathy warnings to become “black box” warnings (those which indicate that a drug may carry a significant risk of serious or life-threatening adverse effects).

Before commenting, please review our comment policy.