The experienced defective drug lawyers of Hotze Runkle PLLC are pursuing litigation on behalf of patients who developed Canalicular Stenosis, epiphora, and other eye issues as a result of the chemotherapy drug Taxotere. If these undisclosed side effects have impacted your life, we want to hear from you right away.
Excessive tearing is when your eyes water uncontrollably. Everyone experiences this at some point in their life. It could happen when you have a cold or injure your eye in some way. However, excessive tearing is also an indicator of a serious issue known as Canalicular Stenosis. It’s an ocular condition commonly experienced by breast cancer survivors after undergoing Taxotere treatment.
Taxotere gets administered intravenously on a weekly or every three-week regimen. It’s well known for successfully treating breast cancer; however, it’s also useful in other forms of cancer. In recent years, medical researchers discovered a dangerous link between Taxotere and Canalicular Stenosis.
Studies show when Taxotere travels through the body, it interacts with several kinds of bodily fluids, including tears. Secretions from the drug come in direct contact with a person’s tears and cause inflammation of a vital eye structure called a canaliculus. When chronic inflammation occurs, it leads to an infection that causes excessive tearing.
What Causes Excessive Tearing?
Epiphora, commonly known as consistent or uncontrollable eye-watering, happens when the canaliculus becomes blocked or obstructed in some way. The obstruction causes tears to build up along the surface of the eye instead of draining into the nasal cavity as usual functioning allows. Every time you blink, the tears get released out of the eyes and run down your face.
When researchers found the direct link between Taxotere secretions and tears, it caused outrage among breast cancer patients and survivors. The pharmaceutical company, Sanofi-Aventis, failed to release FDA warnings about the possible side effect. After the filing of thousands of lawsuits, consumers realized they took a drug they didn’t know could negatively impact their physical health.
If an opthalmologist doesn’t manage and treat your epiphora symptoms, it could lead to a diagnosis of Canalicular Stenosis. This develops when obstructions in the canaliculi become so severe that the eye structures start to close. Partial or total closure leads to irreversible damage.
Symptoms of Canalicular Stenosis range from mild to severe and include the following:
- Epiphora (eye-watering)
- Blurred or clouded vision
- Sensitivity to light
- Cystoid macular edema (central vision loss)
- Swollen eyelids
- Dry eyes
- Headaches
- Eye irritation and infection
Unfortunately, once any closure of the canaliculi occurs, it’s permanent. There’s no cure to reverse the effects, and you can’t manage your symptoms unless you undergo an invasive surgical procedure.
What’s the Treatment for Canalicular Stenosis?
Eye surgery can be incredibly risky. DCR, dacryocystorhinostomy, is the only known treatment that could potentially ease symptoms of Canalicular Stenosis. During the operation, the doctor uses adjacent structures in the ocular and nasal cavity to create a passageway for your tears. In some situations, a stent gets placed in the passageway. The new tunnel redirects the tears away from the closed canaliculi and funnels them into the nose.
It’s not a painful procedure; however, it’s expensive and could lead to problematic issues. The risks associated with DCR include:
- Uncontrolled bleeding during and after surgery
- Migration or obstruction of the stent
- Permanent and significant facial scars
- Eye infections
- Tissue damage
- Complications leading to blindness
- Overall ineffective results
If one or both canaliculi get damaged to the point where DCR isn’t an option, your doctor could perform CDCR. During CDCR, conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy, the doctor places a Jones tube (small glass tube) where the canaliculus was before closure occurred. The Jones tube allows for proper drainage of tears, much like the DCR surgery.
It’s possible to undergo either procedure while you’re going through chemo treatments. You could also continue your chemo regimen while managing your symptoms with a temporary stent. If you don’t want to risk the development of any additional symptoms, your ophthalmologist will place a stent in your ocular cavity. That will move your tears correctly and prevent further blockage from occurring in the canaliculi. Your doctor would remove the stent four to six weeks after chemo concludes.
Is Sanofi-Aventis Responsible for My Symptoms?
The short answer: yes. It’s likely your symptoms developed because of Taxotere. After Sanofi created the drug, they performed various trials and studies on its effectiveness and side effects. During the tests, they discovered it prolonged a patient’s life longer than other popular chemo drugs. Despite noticing negative symptoms, Sanofi marketed the drug for many years without disclosing them. The manufacturer prioritized profit over the safety of its consumers.
Current lawsuits handled by Hotze Runkle PLLC allege that the drug company marketed and sold Taxotere knowing the symptoms it could cause. Instead of notifying the FDA and printing appropriate warning labels, they hid it from patients and physicians. It wasn’t until medical researchers discovered the link between tears and the drug’s secretions that they finally released side effect warnings.
Can I Sue Sanofi for Financial Compensation?
If you received Taxotere treatment for any form of cancer, including breast cancer, you could seek compensation from Sanofi for your expenses. In Iowa, the statute of limitations for personal injury is two years. That means you must bring legal action against another person or entity within two years of the date your injury occurred.
If you want to prove negligence in your case, five factors must exist:
- The manufacturer owed a duty to its consumer;
- The manufacturer breached that duty;
- The breach of duty directly caused the victim’s injury;
- The injury happened because of the company’s failure, as opposed to another cause; and
- The injured party suffered damages.
Damages are losses, both economic and noneconomic, suffered as a result of someone else’s negligence. You typically seek compensation for economic and noneconomic damages in insurance claims. Your claim would get filed against Sanofi’s general liability insurance carrier. Punitive damages punish the actual person or entity responsible for your injury. Those who file a lawsuit seek compensation directly from the negligent party for punitive damages.
The damages you could potentially win a financial award for include the following:
- Medical Costs: Bills associated with necessary medical treatment, such as physical therapy, surgery, and specialty doctors.
- Emotional Distress: Mental or psychological trauma suffered as a direct result of the incident that led to your injury.
- Loss of Income: Any pay you’re unable to earn because your injury prevents you from working.
- Disfigurement: Permanent scarring, markings, or another injury that impairs your appearance.
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Inability to enjoy the life you had before the incident occurred.
- Pain and Suffering: Significant physical pain experienced because of your injury.
The amount of your compensation depends entirely on five pieces of information:
- The severity of your injury
- Duration of treatment required
- Visibility of the injury to other people
- Availability of evidence and documentation
- The total amount of costs resulting from the incident
Should I Hire a Lawyer to Help Me with My Lawsuit?
A lawyer could help you get the fair compensation the drugmaker owes you. When you hire an experienced Taxotere lawsuit lawyer from Hotze Runkle PLLC, we’ll ensure you’re treated fairly throughout your case. We’ll protect your rights and fight for the justice you deserve. We know the evidence we need to collect to ensure you receive the maximum compensation available.
You shouldn’t have to go through this devastating time in your life alone. We’ll be by your side every step of the way. You can depend on us to advise you on your best legal options and help you choose a path that works for you. It’s our goal to make sure we resolve your case promptly so you can move forward with your life.
Speak to a Dedicated Iowa Taxotere Canalicular Stenosis Attorney
At Hotze Runkle PLLC, we’re committed to providing superior customer service no matter what. We take an individualized approach with each client, so we meet all your goals. When you hire us, we’ll make sure we’re on the same page and move forward with a plan that gets you the results you want.
Our team is available 24/7, so you can reach us when you need us. You’ll never have to wait long to receive answers to your questions or get the status of your case. It’s important to us that we’re easily accessible to you at all times.
We know the burden you’re facing. It’s overwhelming knowing you beat cancer then discovered a whole new obstacle to overcome. We offer a free consultation to all prospective clients to relieve some of your stress. There’s no risk or obligation to meet with us to discuss the details of your Canalicular Stenosis. We’ll review everything you provide us and determine if we can move forward with your case. If you took Taxotere and want to know if you qualify for a lawsuit, take our Case Evaluation Quiz right now.