The New Jersey Taxotere lawsuit lawyers of Hotze Runkle PLLC can help if you’ve experienced side effects like canalicular stenosis after taking the chemotherapy drug. Studies show treatment with the chemo drug causes debilitating symptoms, such as blurry vision, watery eyes, and headaches. Individuals with breast cancer were affected the most, but patients with other types of cancer also experienced a poor reaction.
Our trial lawyers dedicate themselves to providing legal representation to those suffering because of the careless actions of others. We understand the devastating impact this had on your life. No one should face complications from a drug created to help people. We believe in seeking justice for our clients and ensuring they receive the proper compensation.
If you or your loved one developed symptoms of canalicular stenosis after taking Taxotere, you could potentially file a lawsuit against the drug manufacturer. You deserve the opportunity to seek a settlement for the physical and emotional pain you endured. Our New Jersey Taxotere lawsuit lawyers handle cases just like yours and are prepared to fight for you.
How Is Taxotere Linked to Canalicular Stenosis?
Taxotere is a chemotherapy drug used primarily in the treatment of breast cancer. The pharmaceutical company, Sanofi-Aventis, created it to prevent cancer cells from growing and spreading throughout the patient’s body. It’s administered on a regimen best suited for the severity of the disease. After Sanofi released warnings about harmful side effects in 2014, breast cancer survivors began filing lawsuits claiming the manufacturer hid the dangers of their drug.
Structures called canaliculi aid in funneling tears through the tear ducts and out through the nasal cavity. An infection or inflammation could cause an obstruction that prevents proper draining. When that happens, it could lead to epiphora, which is excessive tearing. If caught early enough, a doctor could monitor the symptoms of epiphora to prevent the development of any significant damage. However, if the case is severe and left untreated, it could turn into Canalicular Stenosis.
Studies between Taxotere and its interaction with tears showed how inflammation develops in vital eye structures. Chronic inflammation occurs when the drug comes in direct contact with the tears as they pass through the canaliculi. Once inflammation occurs, an infection forms that causes partial or full closure of the canaliculi.
What Are the Symptoms Related to Taxotere Use?
Watery eyes usually develop in patients while they’re undergoing chemo treatment with Taxotere. Intervention by your oncologist and ophthalmologist could prevent epiphora from developing into canalicular stenosis. The most common symptoms of this serious medical condition include:
- Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eyes)
- Blurry vision
- Cystoid macular edema (loss of vision)
- Sensitivity to light
- Dry eyes
- Swollen eyelids
- Epiphora (excessive tearing)
- Clouding of the eye lens
- Eye infections
- Headaches
Taxotere side effects are overwhelming for anyone experiencing them. It causes a great deal of physical pain and emotional distress. The triumphant feeling of beating cancer is short-lived for anyone diagnosed with Canalicular Stenosis. After winning one battle, you immediately face another.
At Hotze Runkle PLLC, our New Jersey Taxotere lawsuit lawyers use every resource at their disposal to punish Sanofi for their negligence. When the side effects of a drug remain hidden from you, you’re unable to make an informed decision about a treatment plan. It’s a terrible injustice that we aim to fix for our clients.
Can My Symptoms Be Cured?
Canalicular stenosis is a permanent medical condition. The only treatment available to manage your symptoms is dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR). The surgeon places a stent, which allows tears to bypass the obstructed tear ducts and travel to the nasal cavity as intended.
This expensive and invasive procedure isn’t always guaranteed. It also poses serious risks. After undergoing DCR, the following complications could present themselves:
- Infection
- Excessive bleeding
- Blindness
- Facial scarring
- Displaced stent
- Ineffective operation
- Other eye-related issues
The issue most patients face is their hesitation to seek treatment for their symptoms. Survivors feel guilty for complaining about something that seems so minor compared to their fight against breast cancer. They either accept their newly developed symptoms or don’t seek treatment until it’s too late.
As soon as your symptoms appear, undergoing an evaluation by an ophthalmologist could prevent them from worsening in the future. If epiphora gets diagnosed in time, your doctor could easily monitor your health so it doesn’t turn into a severe form of canalicular stenosis.
Can I Sue if My Symptoms Are Minor?
Whether your symptoms are minor or severe, you could seek compensation from the drug company. Every pharmaceutical company is responsible for ensuring proper manufacturing and distribution of its products. If there are potential dangers, they should disclose them to their consumers.
Our New Jersey Taxotere lawsuit lawyers dedicate their time and experience to every client they meet. We don’t care if your case is small. Anyone treated unfairly deserves the opportunity to hold the negligent party accountable. We know paying for your medical bills might not be an option. If you’re unable to work and struggling to make ends meet, filing a lawsuit is the right decision to recover a settlement that pays for your expenses.
How Much Is My Case Worth?
The amount of compensation you receive depends entirely on the severity of your symptoms, and how much evidence we find to support your claim. When evaluating any product liability case, we look into multiple factors, including:
- The severity of the injury
- How much treatment you receive
- The invasiveness of any procedures
- The time it takes to recover
- The visibility of the injury
- Medical evidence showing any negative impacts of the injury
When you meet with one of our New Jersey Taxotere lawsuit lawyers, they will review all the details and documentation available to determine the appropriate settlement amount. They’ll collect critical pieces of evidence to prove Taxotere caused your symptoms, and you incurred expenses as a result.
The compensation we seek in lawsuits like yours is typically to reimburse you for damages. Compensatory damages are losses resulting from treating your injury. Examples of compensatory damages include the following:
- Medical Expenses: Hospital visits, prescription drugs, surgery, and any additional medical treatment necessary.
- Lost Wages: Past and future pay you’re unable to earn because your injury prevents you from working.
- Pain and Suffering: Significant physical pain and suffering that affects your ability to work, perform routine tasks, and enjoy life.
- Emotional Distress: Emotional pain and psychological trauma, such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
- Loss of Consortium: The victim’s immediate family could seek compensation if the relationship changed as a result of the injury or treatment.
Punitive damages are the financial award received from the at-fault party. Seeking punitive damages is a way of punishing the person or entity involved in your unfortunate circumstances. New Jersey law prohibits a plaintiff from collecting more than $350,000 or five times the number of compensatory damages in product liability cases. When seeking compensatory or punitive damages, it’s essential to show undeniable evidence that the manufacturer knew about and withheld relevant information regarding their chemo drug.
How Can a New Jersey Taxotere Lawsuit Lawyer Help Me?
Our experienced trial lawyers know how to get the job done. Our familiarity with working on product liability cases allows us to obtain the right evidence that proves Taxotere caused your symptoms. We work diligently to meet deadlines and adhere to laws related to product liability. If you never filed a lawsuit before, you might not know how the process works or the amount of money you should seek.
When you hire one of our New Jersey Taxotere lawsuit lawyers, we will begin working on your case immediately. We’ll collect crucial evidence showing the timeline of your symptoms and how they relate to your chemo treatment. We’ll also ensure your lawsuit gets filed before the statute of limitations runs out, so you don’t lose the opportunity to take your case to court.
In the state of New Jersey, you only have two years from the date of the injury to file legal action against another person or entity. If two years pass and you haven’t filed suit, you won’t get the opportunity to receive a settlement from the drug company. It’s our job to make sure that does not happen. You can count on us to protect your rights and demand fair compensation in your case.
Think You Might Qualify for Compensation? Take Our
If you received Taxotere chemo treatment and developed canalicular stenosis as a result, take our quiz today to find out if you qualify for compensation from Sanofi-Aventis. Our New Jersey Taxtotere canicular stenosis lawyers will be ready to stand up and fight for the full and fair compensation you’re owed. When drugmakers put the pursuit of profits over the safety of patients like you, our team will hold them accountable for you and your family. Don’t wait until it is too late to take action: fill out our quiz and let us represent you on a contingency-fee-basis. You won’t owe us anything until we secure fair compensation for you.