Taxotere is a popular drug doctors use to treat breast cancer and various other cancers. The manufacturer, Sanofi-Aventis, is now facing lawsuits from cancer patients who want to hold the drug manufacturer responsible for failing to disclose the dangerous side effects of the drug.
One of those side effects is a serious ocular condition called canalicular stenosis. Symptoms of canalicular stenosis include excessive tearing, blurry vision, and swollen eyelids. Canalicular stenosis can be permanent and impact an individual’s quality of life, making it difficult to read, watch TV, and drive.
If you’re noticing an adverse reaction to your Taxotere chemo treatment, you should contact our Taxotere excessive tearing lawsuit attorneys. Hotze Runkle PLLC might be able to assist you in pursuing compensation from the drug company. It’s unfair that after undergoing chemotherapy, you must now face a new medical problem. You’re entitled to justice after the suffering you’ve had to endure.
Take our Quiz today to determine if you might be eligible to participate in a Phoenix Taxotere lawsuit.
Excessive Tearing Caused by Canalicular Stenosis
Excessive tearing, also called epiphora, is typically the first sign of an eye condition that cancer patients notice when undergoing Taxotere chemotherapy. This irritating symptom occurs when the eye’s canaliculus becomes inflamed and begins to develop an obstruction. If this symptom goes untreated, canalicular stenosis can develop.
The canaliculus is a structure in the ocular cavity that’s responsible for passing tears through the tear ducts and into the nasal cavity. Taxotere can cause chronic inflammation of the canaliculi, which causes them to partially or fully close. The blockage prevents tears from funneling as intended. When the patient’s tears have nowhere else to go, they build up onto the eye’s surface and release during blinking.
Canalicular stenosis is a permanent medical condition. When the canaliculi close, there’s nothing doctors can do to reopen them.
If you notice any symptoms of canalicular stenosis, you should seek medical attention immediately for treatment. Early treatment can prevent the condition from worsening. Symptoms may include:
- Cloudy or blurry vision
- Dry eyes
- Eye infection and irritation
- Excessive tearing
- Swollen eyelids
- Loss of central vision
- Sensitivity to light
- Headaches
The symptoms you experience could be a minor inconvenience or so severe that they interfere with your daily routine. Some people only notice one symptom, while others experience multiple. It’s a debilitating medical problem that can inhibit your ability to work or enjoy your life.
How Does Taxotere Cause Canalicular Stenosis?
Sanofi-Aventis first released Taxotere as a chemotherapy drug for cancer patients. It’s most popular for breast cancer treatment but can also treat cancers of the stomach, neck, prostate, head, and lungs. It works by attacking cancer cells in the body and preventing them from growing and spreading to other areas. The regimen depends on the type and stage of the disease, but it usually gets administered once a week, every two weeks, or every three weeks.
Medical researchers discovered a link between the drug and symptoms of canalicular stenosis. During studies, they found that secretions from Taxotere interact with the patient’s tears as they travel from the tear ducts to the nasal cavity. That direct contact can cause inflammation of the canaliculus, resulting in various unpleasant symptoms, such as excessive tearing.
Is Canalicular Stenosis Curable?
Once you develop canalicular stenosis, there’s no way to cure it. It’s a permanent condition that you’ll have to live with for the rest of your life. Fortunately, there’s a way to manage your symptoms with early diagnosis and medical intervention. If you notice any symptoms while undergoing Taxotere treatment, you should let your doctor know immediately to prevent your condition from progressing.
Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) is a surgery performed on vital eye structures and the canaliculus. During the procedure, the surgeon will drill a hole into different bone structures within the ocular and nasal cavities to create a new passageway for your tears. Some cases require the placement of a stent to facilitate proper drainage. With this new passageway, your tears can bypass the damaged canaliculus and funnel into your nasal cavity.
Despite its success at managing symptoms of canalicular stenosis, the procedure could also cause serious side effects, such as:
- Tissue damage
- Abnormally fused tissue
- Displaced stent
- Additional eye infections
- Hemorrhaging
- Facial scars
- Blindness
- Sinusitis
If you see an ophthalmologist as soon as you start noticing canalicular stenosis symptoms, you could potentially prevent a physical disability down the road. Severe cases cause people to suffer every day.
Can I Sue My Doctor for the Symptoms of Taxotere?
Sanofi-Aventis’ marketing efforts didn’t initially disclose the dangerous side effects and symptoms of canalicular stenosis. It wasn’t until years after the drug had been on the market that they finally notified the FDA and released warnings about the adverse reactions. Likely, your doctor wasn’t aware of the harm Taxotere could cause. Sanofi-Aventis didn’t only hide the risks from consumers, but hid it from doctors as well.
If you decide you want to file a lawsuit against the pharmaceutical company, you might feel overwhelmed. You’re going up against a large corporation that hires experienced attorneys to defend them. It will be a challenging battle, but Hotze Runkle PLLC can help you.
You deserve to hold Sanofi-Aventis accountable for their negligence. They put Taxotere users in harm’s way by failing to disclosure adequate warnings. That behavior is entirely unethical. We’ll help you seek justice and recover the maximum compensation that pays for your damages.
Our Taxotere excessive tearing lawsuit attorneys understand you’re suffering. You’re in pain, trying to manage your debilitating symptoms, and worry about paying your medical bills. It’s a stressful time in your life, and we want to help you fight Sanofi-Aventis. You can depend on us to work on your case efficiently and help you move forward with your life as soon as possible.
I Can’t Afford a Lawyer. Now What?
It might be tempting to move forward with a lawsuit alone. You think you’ll save money, but it could end up working against you. Having an experienced Phoenix Taxotere lawsuit attorney by your side will give you the best chance of recovering a financial award. If you try to pursue legal action alone, you’ll likely lose the case.
Hotze Runkle PLLC takes cases on contingency, which means we don’t take any legal fees unless we win a settlement or favorable jury verdict. You won’t have to pay us upfront for our services or owe us anything if we lose. We don’t get paid unless you get paid.
Lawsuits are complicated. It requires extensive paperwork, collection of evidence, and strict deadlines to follow. We’ll handle each step for you so you can focus on your recovery. We can perform a thorough investigation, request sufficient evidence that proves you deserve compensation, and fight with the opposing party in court.
Determining the Damages Available in Your Case
When you hire us, we’ll look over every piece of evidence we obtained and review your total damages to determine a fair financial award that covers your expenses. Depending on the extent of your diagnosis and how it interferes with your life, you could potentially compensate all the damages involved in your case.
Two types of damages are available: economic and non-economic. Economic damages refer to expenses you can calculate, such as medical costs, while non-economic damages are intangible losses, such as pain and suffering.
The damages you could claim in a Taxotere lawsuit include:
- Bills from the hospital, doctors, imaging, and other medical care
- Lost past and future wages
- Emotional or psychological trauma
- Physical pain
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Permanent disability
- Out-of-pocket expenses
When a jury reviews the facts of your case to decide how much money you deserve for your damages, they will look at multiple factors:
- The effect of the diagnosis on your lifestyle
- Your age
- The severity of your symptoms
- How long you require treatment
- If there’s a permanent disability or physical impairment due to the medical condition
- Emotional injuries suffered as a result
- Physical health before the diagnosis
- Time spent away from work
Let Hotze Runkle PLLC Help You Fight for Justice
Our Phoenix Taxotere attorneys have the experience, skills, and resources to handle your case. Our legal professionals dedicate their time to ensure our clients receive the legal services necessary to hold negligent parties liable for their actions. We understand the struggles you’re dealing with and want to help you move forward with your life.
When you hire us, we’ll relieve your burden by taking care of every step of the legal process on your behalf. Your only job will be to focus on healing and putting the pieces of your life back together. You can trust us to fight for your rights and pursue the justice you deserve.
Your Taxotere chemo regimen helped you treat your cancer but ended up causing another serious medical problem. It’s unfair that you have to go through additional pain and suffering because Sanofi-Aventis was irresponsible. If you want to discuss your legal options, we’ll schedule a free case evaluation.
Take our Taxotere quiz if you want to meet with Hotze Runkle PLLC and determine if you may qualify for a lawsuit against the drug company.