The family of a 9-year-old girl that died from Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TENS) after taking the popular anti-convulsant drug Dilantin and Flagyl received a $3.78 million settlement via a wrongful death lawsuit against Pfizer, the makers of Dilantin and Flagyl.

New Yorker Jesse Nichols Jacobson died in 2004 after being diagnosed with TENS. She was taking Dilantin and Flagyl (both made by Pfizer) at the time for treatment of epileptic seizures. While Dilantin is used for the seizures, Flagyl is used as an antibiotic. Both medications were linked to Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and TENS after her death. In fact, Pfizer included the warning of SJS and TENS on the labels of these drugs in 2008 after the FDA concluded that the drugs can cause the disease. Unfortunately, the warning didn’t come fast enough for the little girl and her family. The settlement was reached in October 2010.

TENS is a more severe form of SJS, a toxic skin disease that can cause patients to suffer from symptoms such as a rash that quickly spreads; painful blisters on the mucus membranes in the eyes, nose mouth and genitals; and a sloughing off of skin in patches. TENS can cause a patient to lose as much as 30 percent of the skin on their bodies, leaving the patient with a high chance of infections that can lead to death.

Treatment of TENS is similar to that for patients who have suffered from severe burns and can include skin grafts. Chance of death is higher with TENS because of the excess skin that peels off and the increased risk of infection. If you or someone you love has suffered from SJS or TENS, you may be entitled to file a lawsuit and get compensation for your injuries. Contact me today for a free consultation. I will fight hard to help you get every dime that you may be entitled to.