Acetaminophen Lawsuits
Acetaminophen is the generic name of a drug used in many different over the counter drugs and medications including brand name Tylenol.
Startling information about the dangers of acetaminophen-based products such as the popular pain-killers Tylenol and Tylenol Plus are widely available to consumers and clearly document the dangerous links between the medications and liver failure.
One valuable source is our court system, where victims of this life-threatening side effect have filed Tylenol liver failure lawsuits detailing the devastating health problems they and loved ones have suffered from acetaminophen use.
For decades Tylenol products have ranked among the best-selling medications ever put on pharmacy shelves, generating billions of dollars in sales for the manufacturer. Even so, it was not until 2009 that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which initially sanctioned the products as safe, finally acknowledged that that even when taken in prescribed doses, these products can destroy the liver.
Even then, the drug’s manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson subsidiary McNeil, fought tooth and nail to avoid having to place the specific words “severe liver damage” on its warning labels, as directed by FDA regulators.
That a company would battle so hard to avoid warning consumers about a dangerous side effect that could cause their death speaks volumes about how pharmaceutical giants place corporate profits above consumer safety.
That morality is at the center of the allegations that are being made in Tylenol liver failure lawsuits. In reviewing the complaints that have been filed by victims of these side effects you come away with feelings of concern and sympathy for the health problems and deaths caused by these side effects.
You will also come away with an understanding of the basis of these lawsuits, which is that Tylenol and other acetaminophen-based medications were put on pharmacy shelves in a manner that put at risk the health of consumers.
Brands of products containing Acetaminophen:
- Regular strength Tylenol
- Extra strength Tylenol
- Regular strength store brand/generic Acetaminophen
- Extra strength store brand/generic Acetaminophen
- Nyquil
- Vicodin
- Percocet
- NSAIDS (nonsteroidal antinflammatory drugs)
- aspirin
- ibuprofen
- naproxen
The problem with Acetaminophen:
Acetaminophen has been shown to and linked to many different types of liver problems.
Mainly the liver has a difficult time in flushing it from the system.
Taking more than the recommended amount can cause liver damage, ranging from abnormalities in liver function blood tests, to acute liver failure, and even death in some rare cases.
Even amounts of only 4 grams per day can lead to liver damage or other liver problems. The problem is exacerbated by those who use alcohol or have liver disease. These individuals have a harder time in flushing Acetaminophen from their bodies.
Taking just a small amount of acetaminophen over the recommended total daily dose (4 grams per day) may lead to liver injury. Many cases of overdose are caused by patients inadvertently taking more than the recommended dose.
Studies from the 1990’s illustrated a direct link between the use of Acetaminophen and liver failure. In this study it was also shown that half of the cases ended up in an accidental overdose.
Reports from various medical hospital studies found approximately 42,000 people visited the emergency rooms ever year with acetaminophen overdoses, half of which were accidental.
Injuries associated with acetaminophen:
- liver damage
- liver failure
- liver transplant
- serious liver injury
- Overdose
If you or someone you know has experienced liver damage or has suffered an overdose from acetaminophen, please contact us today a potential class action lawsuit may begin. There may be compensation from an acetaminophen class action settlement.
