A man from Virginia was awarded $212 million this week in a case against Botox maker Allergan Inc, according to newsinferno.com. The man, Douglas Ray, age 67, claimed that the drug left him brain damaged and disabled, and that Allergan neglected to warn his physician about Botox’s Risks. Botox is used to treat different issues, such as wrinkles; severe neck muscle and limb spasms, called dystonia; and severe primary axillary hyperhydrosis, also known as excess sweating. In April of 2009, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration mandated a black box label for Botox, and similar products, that warns of the risk of adverse events when the effects of a botulinum toxin injection spreads beyond the injection area.
Lawsuits involving Botox are nothing new. In a separate case, in 2007, a man received a Botox injection for a hand tremor and writer’s cramp, and then developed severe medical complications. He is asking for $683,800 in medical expenses. In a different case, Allegran settled a case involving the family of a Botox recipient who died. And in another case, Allegran settled a Botox case with the Justice Department for $600 million. The case alleged, backed by the claims made by two whistle blowers, that Allergan illegally marketed the drug for off-label uses. The case accused Allegran of paying doctors to attend meetings promoting unlawful marketing and to lobby healthcare payers to cover off-label use of the drug. Also, the Justice Department claims that Allegran spent $8 million on an independent, online neurotoxin education organization to stimulate increased use of Botox. And as a final example, last year Allegran reached an out of court settlement with the family of a woman who died after receiving Botox for shoulder pain. Her family claimed that she was never informed of the risks involved with using Botox.
If you or a loved one suffered an injury due to the use of an unsafe drug, please contact our firm for a free consultation. We have the expertise to settle any type of personal injury claim, and will fight on the behalf of our clients in court, when we are not able to settle, and win.