Home » Levaquin » Levaquin Nerve Damage

Levaquin Nerve Damage

• More on Levaquin
  • Levaquin Class Action
  • Levaquin Settlements
  • Levaquin Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics and Aortic Dissection
  • Levaquin Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics and Aortic Aneurysm
  • Levaquin (FQAD) Fluoroquinolone Associated Disability Lawsuit
  • Levaquin Side Effects
  • Levaquin Nerve Damage
  • Levaquin Peripheral Neuropathy
  • Levaquin Lawsuit

Levaquin, a popular antibiotic in the fluoroquinolone class, has been linked to peripheral neuropathy, prompting scores of people to file Levaquin nerve damage cases against the drugs’ manufacturers. These lawsuits claim that Johnson & Johnson and its Janssen Pharmaceuticals unit failed to provide patients and doctors with adequate warnings regarding this potentially debilitating condition.

Levaquin Investigation

The drug side effects attorneys at Bernstein Liebhard LLP are investigating nerve injuries and peripheral neuropathy that may be linked to Levaquin. If you or a loved one suffered serious nerve complications while using Levaquin, please call our Firm at (888) 994-5118 to learn more about your legal rights.

Levaquin Safety Warnings

Levaquin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic used to treat a variety of bacterial infections. Other drugs in this class include Cipro, Avelox and a number of generic brands. While theses antibiotics have been used by millions of people and rank among the most commonly-prescribed medications, concerns have grown in recent years that these drugs may be associated with some very serious complications, including the development of peripheral neuropathy and nerve damage:

• 2001: The Annals of Pharmacotherapy reported on 45 patients who had developed peripheral neuropathy following treatment with fluoroquinolones. More than 80% of cases were characterized as “severe,” while more than half persisted for a year or more.
• 2004: Information about peripheral neuropathy was added to all fluoroquinolone labels, including Levaquin.
• 2013: The FDA asked drug companies that market fluoroquinolones to strengthen label warnings pertaining to peripheral neuropathy and nerve damage. The agency acted after a review concluded that the “potential rapid onset and permanence” of these complications was not adequately described on the current labeling. The FDA also asked manufacturers to remove statements characterizing peripheral neuropathy as a “rare” occurrence.
• 2015: An FDA panel of outside medical advisors overwhelmingly voted to recommend stronger warnings for fluoroquinolone antibiotics in the treatment of sinus infections, urinary-tract infections and bronchitis that worsens existing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The recommendations were made amid growing concerns regarding the devastating side effects that can sometimes accompany the use of fluoroquinolone antibiotics, including peripheral neuropathy, cardiac rhythm disturbances, tendon injuries, and cognitive problems. Read More

Nerve Damage and Peripheral Neuropathy Symptoms

According to the FDA, the symptoms of Levaquin nerve damage can appear just a few days after treatment has been initiated. In some patients, symptoms persisted for a year or more, even though they had stopped taking the medication.

Levaquin patients should contact their doctor immediately if they experience any of the following signs or symptoms:

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

Levaquin Litigation News

Court records indicate that more than 200 Levaquin lawsuits and other fluoroquinolone claims have been filed in the nation’s courts since the FDA issued it nerve damage warning in 2013. In September 2015, all such federal claims were centralized before a single judge in the U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota for the purposes of coordinated pretrial proceedings. All of the lawsuits currently pending in the litigation claim that the manufacturers of Levaquin and other fluoroquinolone antibiotics failed to provide patients and doctors with adequate warnings regarding these risks. Read More.

Did You Experience Levaquin Nerve Damage? Learn More About Your Legal Options.

Victims of Levaquin nerve damage may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and more. If you or a loved one were diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy following treatment with Levaquin, please call (888) 994-5118 to arrange for a free legal review of your case.