Plaintiffs beat Johnson & Johnson in the first two Topamax bellwether trials in the last month and a half. In Philadelphia, a jury found that taking the seizure medication Topamax during pregnancy can cause deformities such as cleft lip. When the lip or palate has failed to properly fuse, one develops a cleft lip. Such a deformity can adversely affect eating, talking and social standing. Those with cleft lip can become shy and withdrawn. People with cleft palates are also more likely to develop ear infections.
Topamax cases filed
More than 130 Topamax Lawsuits have been filed for children allegedly suffering from this malady after their mothers took Topamax while pregnant.
$11 Million in Damages
In Philadelphia, a jury awarded Haley Powell $11 million in damages. Ms. Powell is the mother of a boy born in 2007 with a cleft lip and other deformities. The award is meant to cover medical expenses that will include surgeries, but it is likely to be appealed by defense, as virtually all such verdicts are. The verdict in Ms. Powell and her child’s case was the second win in two trials for plaintiffs against Johnson & Johnson.
$4 Million in First Topamax Trial
On October 30, a jury awarded a mother and her child $4 million in the first Topamax trial. Records in that case indicate J & J’s Janssen subsidiary withheld safety information about Topamax’s pregnancy risks and hid important information from consumers and the medical community. In this case, April Czimmer had born a son with several birth defects alleged to have occurred because Ms. Czimmer took Topamax during the first trimester of her pregnancy. Ms. Czimmer testified at trial that she took Topamax for six months while pregnant. Her attorneys alleged that the maker of Topamax failed to provide adequate warnings about the risk of birth defects.
Johnson & Johnson argues in these and all other Topamax cases that it provided adequate Topamax warnings.
Topamax Approved in 1997
Approved by the FDA in 1997, Topamax has been available for use since 2006. The drug is approved for treatment of epilepsy, migraines and weight loss. In 2011, the FDA issued a warning about Topamax increasing the risk of oral cleft birth defects. The FDA warned doctors not to prescribe Topamax to pregnant women or to women of child bearing years at risk of pregnancy.
Contact a Topamax Lawyer
If you or someone you love has been injured by Topmax, contact a Topamax Lawyer regarding a Topamax Lawsuit at (888) 923-7001. Or email us for a free legal consultation.
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by Matthews & Associates
