Were you diagnosed with Canalicular Stenosis or epiphora as a former or current cancer patient? Did your chemotherapy regimen consist of Taxotere? If so, contact Hotze Runkle PLLC, to discuss your legal options with a knowledgeable Taxotere lawyer. This well-known chemo drug has been linked to severe side effects, and the manufacturer may owe you significant compensation if you were harmed.
Conclusive studies performed by medical researchers resulted in findings that showed a link between a patient’s tears and Taxotere as it travels through structures in the eye. One of these structures is called a canaliculus and helps tears drain into the nasal cavity. Unfortunately, the direct contact with secretions from the drug cause inflammation, preventing tears from funneling through the canaliculus.
How Epiphora and Canalicular Stenosis Develop
The drug manufacturer Sanofi-Aventis began manufacturing and marketing Taxotere in 1996. It can effectively shrink cancer cells and prevent them from spreading. However, some patients noticed excessive eye-watering during chemotherapy. This is known as epiphora.
The results of many studies showed that secretions from the chemo drug interacted with bodily fluids, including tears, as it made its way to the canaliculus. This caused the canaliculus to become inflamed, leading to an eye infection. Chronic eye infections, left untreated, cause epiphora.
When epiphora gets worse, Canalicular Stenosis can form and cause even more irritating symptoms, such as:
- Clouded eye lens
- Eyelid swelling
- Headaches
- Blurred vision
- Sensitivity to light
- Central vision loss
- Chronic eye infections
Without the right medical treatment, the canaliculi can close and block your tears from draining into the nasal cavity. Once they start closing, there’s no remedy to reverse this issue. Canalicular Stenosis is a permanent and irreversible condition with symptoms that can interfere with your daily responsibilities and activities.
Treating the Symptoms of Canalicular Stenosis
Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) is the first possible option for managing your symptoms. The surgeon will make an incision between the affected eye and your nose to fuse certain structures located under the skin. This creates a passageway where tears can travel instead of becoming trapped behind the obstructed canaliculi. Although it can be successful, there’s a risk of:
- Uncontrollable bleeding at the incision site
- Tissue and nerve damage
- Significant facial scarring
- Blindness
- Sinusitis
- Abnormally fused tissue
- Ineffective procedure
Patients with severely damaged canaliculi might require conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy (CDCR). Since there are no viable structures available to use as a new passageway, the surgeon can use a Jones tube, a tiny glass tube, to direct tears towards the nasal cavity. It comes with the same risks as DCR and might not effectively alleviate your watery eyes and other symptoms.
Compensation You Could Pursue for Your Taxotere Injuries
Sanofi-Aventis should be held liable for their negligent actions. They failed to warn doctors about their drug’s harmful effects, leading doctors to recommend it to their patients. The manufacturer didn’t notify the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of the results of their studies until 2014. At that time, they added updated warning labels to include the risk of developing Canalicular Stenosis from taking Taxotere.
Now, cancer patients and survivors across many states have come forward and filed lawsuits against Sanofi. Large pharmaceutical companies can seem intimidating, but Hotze Runkle PLLC will be by your side to fight for the maximum compensation you deserve. You will not be alone during this complicated and overwhelming legal process.
It is your legal right to hold the drug company accountable for their negligent actions. Taxotere caused your symptoms, and now you’re struggling to recover. It’s unfair that you’re going through this because of someone else’s misconduct. We believe in seeking justice for our clients so they can move forward with their lives.
How Much Compensation Could I Get from A Lawsuit?
Our Austin Taxotere epiphora lawsuit attorneys can review your case to determine its value and how much money Sanofi or their insurance company should pay to compensate for your losses. Your emotional, financial, and physical losses might include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Loss of household services
- Pain and suffering
- Out of pocket expenses
- Physical impairment or disfigurement
- Lost past and future wages
- Mental anguish
- Loss of consortium
Some contributing factors that could affect the value of your case include:
- The severity of your symptoms
- Psychological injuries suffered, such as anxiety
- Total costs resulting from your diagnosis
- The estimated value of the physical and emotional pain experienced
- Whether the injury caused permanent disability or impairment
- Duration of the recovery period
- Availability of evidence proving Taxotere caused your symptoms
- Impact on quality of life
At Hotze Runkle PLLC, we understand how much you’ve already suffered after your cancer diagnosis. It can be a scary experience for anyone to deal with. The additional stress of Canalicular Stenosis and the symptoms it causes can become overwhelming. Taxotere chemotherapy is why you’re in this situation right now, and the drug company’s actions contributed to it.
Hotze Runkle PLLC Legal Fees and Costs
Many of our clients are currently treating cancer with chemotherapy and other forms of treatment. It can become a significant expense, leading to financial strain and debt. We don’t want to add more responsibility to your plate, which is why we can take your case on contingency. We don’t charge upfront fees or costs to represent those in need of legal representation. If we lose your case, you won’t have to pay us.
We also offer prospective clients an initial consultation for free. It’s important to receive informative and useful advice about your case. You shouldn’t have to spend money before the lawsuit process even begins. We will review the details of your case and determine the available legal options.
Take Our Quiz To Find Out If You Qualify for Compensation
You deserve compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and suffering caused by Taxotere. You will not be alone during this confusing and traumatic time in your life. We will stay by your side to guide you through each step of the process until we resolve your case.
Take our Taxotere quiz if you want to find out whether you’re eligible for compensation from a lawsuit.