Stevens-Johnson syndrome, also known as SJS, is a serious skin condition that can develop as a result of taking certain medications. The condition is regarded as a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment in a hospital’s intensive care unit. Without treatment, Stevens-Johnson syndrome can quickly result in death.
A pharmaceutical drug injury lawyer may be able to help you recover injury compensation to cover the extensive expenses commonly associated with treating Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
What Is SJS?
Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a life-threatening skin condition that develops as a reaction to some medications. The condition often begins with flu-like symptoms and a painful rash. Soon, the person’s skin dies and eventually grows back. The condition requires immediate hospitalization, and recovery can take months.
Stevens-Johnson syndrome brings a high risk of death without immediate medical intervention. The treatment process is highly painful and brings an elevated risk of additional complications, such as skin infection or toxic epidermolysis necrosis (TEN).
Initial Signs of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome
One of the most surprising elements of how Stevens-Johnson syndrome develops is the speed. Initially, a person may simply feel slightly unwell. That sense of malaise may develop into flu-light symptoms, such as a fever and aches. Around this time, a rash may begin developing.
These seemingly minor early signs of Stevens-Johnson syndrome quickly take a drastic change for the worse. Within days or even hours, the rash can suddenly progress into severe, painful blisters all over the body. This rash can appear anywhere on the skin but can also be found on the mucous membrane in the eyes, mouth, throat, genitals, and anus.
If you’re concerned that you or a loved one is developing Stevens-Johnson syndrome symptoms after taking a medication, signs to watch for include:
- Fever
- Cough
- Fatigue
- Aches
- Rash
- Skin blisters
- Blistering at eyes, mouth, or genitals
- Peeling skin
If you notice signs that could indicate Stevens-Johnson syndrome, it’s essential to seek emergency medical care immediately.
Additional Symptoms That May Develop Over Time
While it is possible to make a full recovery from Stevens-Johnson syndrome, it’s also common for the condition to result in a variety of additional conditions.
The treatment period is the most high-risk time for developing additional symptoms and complications. Some of the most common complications that can arise while Stevens-Johnson syndrome is being treated include:
- Skin infection
- Toxic epidermolysis necrosis
- Sepsis
- Organ failure
- Pneumonia
All of these complications are serious and often fatal health conditions. If a person makes a full recovery from Stevens-Johnson syndrome, there’s a high chance of developing additional long-term health conditions. Some of the most common long-term symptoms that may develop over time include:
- Skin pain or itchiness
- Skin discoloration
- Hair loss
- Vision issues
- Lung damage
- Asthma
- Heart disease
- Fingernail and toenail deformity
- Urination problems
- Fatigue
- Dysregulated sweating
Around 10% of individuals who develop Stevens-Johnson syndrome die from the condition. The fatality rate has been reported to be as high as 30-80% when toxic epidermolysis necrosis develops as a complication.
When Stevens-Johnson Syndrome May Be Grounds for a Bad Drug Lawsuit
Now that you’ve answered the question “What is SJS?”, it’s important to understand what your options are. An SJS diagnosis may provide you with grounds for filing a pharmaceutical drug injury lawsuit. Because the condition develops as a rare reaction to certain medications, a Stevens-Johnson syndrome reaction may provide you with grounds for recovering drug injury compensation.
Some of the medications associated with the development of Stevens-Johnson syndrome include:
- Acetaminophen/paracetamol
- Allopurinol
- Antibiotics
- Anticonvulsants
- Nevirapine
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Sulfonamides like cotrimoxazole and sulfasalazine
If you have taken any of these medications and have developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome, you should immediately consult a pharmaceutical injury attorney about whether you have grounds for recovering injury compensation.
Because the condition usually requires hospitalization and treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU), Stevens-Johnson syndrome often leads to extensive medical bills. A lawyer can work to help you recover the costs of medical care and wages and benefits lost during your recovery time.
If you’re wondering “What is SJS?”, chances are that you or someone you know has been affected by this malicious syndrome. If a loved one dies as a result of Stevens-Johnson syndrome or complications from the condition, a lawyer may be able to help you recover wrongful death compensation. Reach out to our team today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Pays for a Pharmaceutical Injury?
When you’re injured by a prescription medication, fault can lie in a few different places. In some cases, drug injuries are caused by mistakes made by a healthcare provider or pharmacist. These types of injuries are usually categorized as medical malpractice.
When the pharmaceutical drug itself is dangerous or defective, you may instead have a product liability claim on your hands. In this case, you seek compensation directly from the drug manufacturer rather than the doctor or pharmacy who provided you with the medication.
How Much Money Can a Lawyer Help Me Recover?
The amount of money you recover in a pharmaceutical injury lawsuit depends on many factors. The extent of your injuries, your overall medical costs, the long-term impact on your health, and your lawyer’s experience level are all factors that play a role in how much pharmaceutical injury compensation you walk away with.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Pharmaceutical Injury Lawyer?
Many pharmaceutical injury attorneys work on contingency. This arrangement allows clients to hire a lawyer immediately, without concern for paying legal costs up front. Payment is typically rendered as a percentage of your overall compensation value and is only due if and when your lawyer successfully recovers your pharmaceutical injury compensation.
Consult a Pharmaceutical Injury Lawyer Today
After answering the question “What is SJS?”, many are left wondering what their next steps should be in terms of recovery and compensation. The experienced pharmaceutical injury attorneys at Dunn Sheehan understand the terrible toll an unexpected drug injury can have on your health, finances, and quality of life. Our pharmaceutical injury attorneys handle cases nationwide. We routinely take on pharmaceutical injury cases and achieve impressive results.
If you or a loved one has developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome, our experienced attorneys may be able to help you recover pharmaceutical injury compensation. Go beyond the basics of answering “What is SJS?” and achieve the resolution you deserve. Call Dunn Sheehan today to learn how we can help.