Home » Avelox » Avelox Lawsuit

Avelox Lawsuit

• More on Avelox
  • Avelox Settlements
  • Avelox Nerve Damage
  • Avelox Aortic Dissection
  • Avelox Aortic Aneurysm
  • Avelox Side Effects
  • Avelox Peripheral Neuropathy
  • Avelox Lawsuit

Avelox lawsuit filings began to mount in U.S. courts following a 2013 alert that warned of its association with peripheral neuropathy, a nerve disorder that can result in permanent disability. Plaintiffs who have filed these claims allege that the manufacturer of Avelox knew about this potential complication for years, but failed to provide adequate warnings to doctors and patients in order to protect sales of the drug. Taking legal action may enable alleged victims of Avelox peripheral neuropathy to obtain compensation for their injury related damages, including:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Permanent disability

Avelox has been prescribed to more than 2.5 million people since it first came on the market. However, it’s too early to say how many cases will eventually be filed on behalf of patients who allegedly developed peripheral neuropathy due to its use.

FDA Announces Updated Boxed Warning for Avelox

May 2016: The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is updating the boxed warning for Avelox and other systemic fluoroquinolones to state that the risks associated with the drugs generally outweigh the benefits for patients with sinusitis, bronchitis and uncomplicated urinary tract infections who have other treatment options. Those risks include side effects involving the tendons, muscles, joints, nerves and central nervous system. The complications can occur together, and they may be permanent. Read More

Avelox Litigation News

• January 2017: Lawsuits filed on behalf of individuals who developed peripheral neuropathy allegedly related to the use of Avelox could start going to trial next year. Per an Order issued in the U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota, on January 17th, the Court intends to convene four Avelox bellwether trials on August 6, 2018, October 8, 2018, February 4, 2019, and June 10, 2019. Read More
• October 2016: The federal court overseeing Avelox lawsuits and other legal claims involving fluoroquinolone antibiotics and peripheral neuropathy has scheduled a Science Day for January 17, 2017. The event will allow plaintiffs and defendants to bring the Court up to speed on the medical and scientific issues central to the litigation. Read More
• September 2016: A Pennsylvania woman has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturers of Avelox, alleging that the lack of adequate safety warnings was responsible for her peripheral neuropathy diagnosis. Court records indicate that the Avelox lawsuit was initially filed in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania on July 13, 2016. However, on August 24^th, the case was transferred to the centralized fluoroquinolone litigation in the District of Minnesota. Read More
• August 2016: A Defendant fact sheet has been approved for use in the federal fluoroquinoline litigation. Such documents are utilized in large, centalized proceedings to standardize discovery, and generally takes the place of written interrogatories. A similar Plaintiff’s’ Fact Sheet was approved by the Court in April 2016. Read More
• June 2016: Plaintiffs who have filed cases in the federal fluoroquinolone litigation underway in Minnesota have been granted leave to amend their Master Complaint to reflect the latest  FDA label update. According to Minutes from the proceeding’s June 21st Status Conference, the Court found that doing so would not greatly expand the scope of the litigation. Read More

• May 2016: A Status Conference was convened in the federal fluoroquinolone litigation on May 18th, at which time it was reported that more than 400 peripheral neuropathy lawsuits involving Avelox, Levaquin and Cipro had been filed nationwide. These included  383 cases pending in the U.S District Court, District of Minnesota, and an additional 39 claims that have been filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Minutes from  the conference indicate that the Pennsylvania judge overseeing those lawsuits would be interested in coordinating with the federal  multidistrict litigation. Read More
• April 2016: An Initial Case Management Plan issued in the federal multidistrict litigation on April 26th sets forth protocols and limitations for discovery during the early stages of the proceeding. Among other things, the plan require that fact discovery in Avelox lawsuits be completed by July 31, 2017. Read More
• April 2016: Dozens of Avelox lawsuits are pending in the U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota, where all federally-filed fluorquinolone peripheral neuropathy cases have been centralized in a multidistrict litigation. A number of issues were addressed during the conference, including matters pertaining to bellwether trials, an initial case management plan, and scheduling of Science Day. Read More.

Avelox and Peripheral Neuropathy

Avelox is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic used to treat sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia and other bacterial infections. It is marketed by Bayer AG, and can be administered by both oral and intravenous means. The association between fluoroquinolones and peripheral neuropathy has been suspected since 2001, when a study published in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy detailed 45 cases of the condition among people treated with the antibiotics. At least 84% of the cases were characterized as “severe,” while more than 50% persisted for a year or more.

In 2004, information about peripheral neuropathy was added to all fluoroquinolone labels, including Avelox. However, in 2013, FDA ordered that additional information be added to the drugs’ prescribing information to “better describe” this possible complication.

According to Avelox lawsuits, victims of peripheral neuropathy may experience:

• Pain, burning, tingling or numbness in the extremities
• Weakness
• Change in sensation to light touch, pain, or temperature
• Change in sense of body position
• Loss of reflexes
• Muscle wasting
• Paralysis

Plaintiffs who have allegedly experienced this Avelox complication claim that symptoms can last for weeks or months, resulting in substantial medical bills and lost wages. In the most severe cases, alleged victims of Avelox peripheral neuropathy can become permanently disabled.

Should I File an Individual Avelox Claim or a Class Action?

The majority of lawsuits involving this antibiotic are not Avelox class actions, but rather individual lawsuits filed on behalf of a single alleged victim, though cases may also include spouses and other family members. In claims involving drug side effects, filing an individual lawsuit is often preferable to joining a class action complaint, as any resolution, judgment or settlement can be tailored towards the actual damages incurred by the plaintiffs.

By contrast, class action claims work best when a group of plaintiffs have sustained identical damages. It’s unlikely that resolution of any Avelox class action would take into account the vastly differing medical bills, lost wages, and other physical, financial and emotional damages allegedly suffered by each individual plaintiff.

If you were harmed by this drug, contacting a lawyer who is experienced with pharmaceutical litigation can help you determine the best way to proceed with your Avelox lawsuit. If you would like to obtain a free, no-obligation review of your case, please call (888) 994-5118 to be put in touch with an attorney today.