Elmiron Lawsuit

Medical literature recently linked Elmiron, a prescription medication used to treat chronic bladder pain and other bladder issues, to an increased risk of vision problems.

Patients who were prescribed the drug Elmiron and developed maculopathy and vision problems have accused Janssen Pharmaceuticals, the drug’s manufacturer, of failing to warn the public about the risks of ocular toxicity and potentially permanent vision damage or loss.

Elmiron MDL Established for Nationwide Elmiron Lawsuits

Almost all Elmiron lawsuits have been consolidated into the Elmiron MDL (multidistrict litigation) in New Jersey Federal Court:

• Elmiron MDL (2973): created in January 2022.
• Elmiron MDL Judge: Brian Martinotti (District of New Jersey)

How many Elmiron Lawsuits are there?

There are over 800 Elmiron cases consolidated in the federal court MDL.

What are average Elmiron Lawsuit Settlements?

It is currently too early to tell the amount of money for an average Elmiron settlement.

Bellwether trials are estimated to take place in January 2023, and settlement amounts will become clearer at that point.

Elmiron is an FDA-approved daily oral medication that is prescribed to treat interstitial cystitis (IC) and bladder pain syndrome.

Elmiron, scientifically known as pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS), is thought to create a thin layer in the wall of the bladder to protect against irritating and potentially harmful substances found in urine.

Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial cystitis is a chronic condition causing bladder pressure, bladder pain, painful bladder syndrome, and sometimes pelvic pain.

The cause of interstitial cystitis isn't known, but factors that may cause the condition include defects in the protective lining of the bladder that allows toxic substances in urine to irritate your bladder wall.

This is what Elmiron, or pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS), attempts to combat.

Elmiron is is more commonly prescribed for women suffering from interstitial cystitis.

Despite medical studies displaying tangible evidence of the danger presented by Elmiron, the drug has not faced a recall.

Elmiron is still available in the market though evidence has linked Elmiron to a number of adverse health risks including maculopathy, retinal damage, vision, loss, and blindness.

If you or a loved one has been prescribed Elmiron, talk to your doctor about whether there are alternative remedies available, even though a safe, scientifically similar medication does not exist.

If you have suffered eye injuries or vision loss and believe it is related to Elmiron, talk to your doctor about whether it is safe to discontinue use of the drug.

At that point, contacting an attorney is also a step you should consider taking.

Janssen Pharmaceuticals lists common Elmiron side effects as:

• hair loss
• diarrhea
• nausea
• blood in the stool
• headache
• rash
• upset stomach
• abnormal liver functions
• dizziness
• bruising
• weight gain
• swelling

Janssen did not issue warnings about potential vision damage or loss.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology report noted patients might also experience additional symptoms.

These symptoms could include:

• drug toxicity
• vision loss
• problems with vision focus and reading
• macula / retinal damage (maculopathy)
• difficulty adjusting to dim/dark lighting

To help the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) track safety issues regarding Elmiron, the agency encourages both health professionals and patients to report any adverse reactions and side effects to the FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program.

Information can be submitted through:

• The MedWatch Online Voluntary Reporting Form
• Contacting the FDA at 855-543-DRUG (3784) and pressing 4, or at druginfo@fda.hhs.gov.
• Downloading the form, or calling 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then submitting the completed form by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178 or on the listed return address.

Multiple reports and studies have come out that link taking Elmiron for long periods of time to vision problems, eye disease, eye injury, and potential permanent vision loss.

If you were prescribed Elmiron and developed changes in your vision, including but not limited to macular degeneration, impaired vision, blurred vision, and any other related eye disorder, you could be eligible for a lawsuit.

Contact an Elmiron vision loss lawyer to learn more.

Elmiron and Maculopathy Findings

The Emory Eye Center published a study, finding that chronic exposure to pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS) is associated with pigmentary maculopathy, a unique form of macular degeneration.

A cumulative dose appears to onset the symptoms of the eye disorder:

• Elmiron users analyzed in the Emory Eye Center study were originally diagnosed with age related macular degeneration, a common eye disease that affects the macula, the central part of the eye’s retina. Visual symptoms of age related macular degeneration include vision loss, distorted vision of the central eye, and more. Researchers discovered that pigmentary maculopathy could "masquerade as other known maculopathies", leading us to believe that there is a large group of people who have taken Elmiron, suffered vision damage, and have been potentially misdiagnosed.
• The American Academy of Ophthalmology researchers presented findings that showed links between pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS) and vision-threatening eye conditions and changes in the macula.
• Kaiser Permanente in Northern California reported that taking Elmiron (pentosan polysulfate sodium) led to retinal damage in nearly 25 percent of patients. Their research also found that Elmiron patients showed signs of drug toxicity, and that higher rates of toxicity correlated with higher doses of Elmiron.

Those suffering from this rare eye disease should contact an experienced attorney about an Elmiron Pigmentary Maculopathy Lawsuit.

What are the Symptoms of Maculopathy?

Maculopathy (macular degeneration) is often painless, and patients might have trouble detecting symptoms early on.

Maculopathy symptoms include:

• Image / Vision Distortion (objects appearing smaller or deformed)
• A spot where patients are unable to see
• Difficulty with adjusting to dark/dim lighting
• Gradual loss of vision
• Issues with focusing eyesight

The first steps of Elmiron victims after being diagnosed with an injury should be mitigation.

Mitigate Your Injury

You should do everything in your power to mitigate injury - mitigation is the process of minimizing the impacts of your injury, both physically and financially.

You should seek medical attention right away, follow your doctor's orders, and discuss substituting or discontinuing your use of Elmiron if you are still taking the drug.

It is important that you do not over-exaggerate or underplay your injuries.

THL Attorneys are currently accepting Elmiron Lawsuits.

If you were prescribed Elmiron for at least two years and developed maculopathy symptoms, eye disorders, or other vision problems while taking the drug, you could qualify for an Elmiron lawsuit.

Symptoms and injuries include, but are not limited to:

• Maculopathy (macular degeneration)
• Vision impairment or loss
• Unilateral or bilateral blindness
• Reduced nighttime and dark light vision
• Macular disease and dystrophy
• Retinopathy
• Retinal hemorrhage

If you were prescribed Elmiron and developed any of these injuries, contact an Elmiron vision loss lawyer right away to discuss your legal options.

What will a Lawyer do for me?

Your Elmiron vision loss lawyer will help you to complete a few crucial steps to ensure that your lawsuit has the best chance at success.

An Elmiron lawyer will help you:

• Gather evidence to support your Elmiron lawsuit claims.
• Determine liability (which will likely fall on the drug manufacturer.)
• Assess Damages, likely making a claim for both punitive damages and compensatory damages for the injuries suffered.

Lawyers will work to gain compensation for your losses through an Elmiron lawsuit settlement or verdict.

Your state's statute of limitations bars the amount of time you have to take legal action after your injuries are first developed or discovered, so do not hesitate to reach out to a lawyer right away.

Gathering Evidence for Elmiron Lawsuits

Evidence is paramount in Elmiron Lawsuits.

Lawsuits are won and lost based solely on evidence available.

Gathering evidence to support your legal claims is essential in building a strong case.

A lawyer will help refine which evidence best supports your case, but you should gather any documentation or medical records related to your Elmiron Lawsuit as soon as possible.

Elmiron lawsuits typically contain evidence such as:

• Medical records and bills, doctors notes
• Medical research linking use of Elmiron to eye injury or vision loss
• Receipts or documents chronicling to use of Elmiron
• Elmiron prescription and dosage information

Determining Liability in an Elmiron Lawsuit

Liability in Elmiron Vision Loss Lawsuits is expected to be placed on Janssen Pharmaceuticals.

Defendants named in the Elmiron Class Action Lawsuit include several pharmaceutical companies:

• Johnson & Johnson (who own Janssen)
• TEVA
• Bayer
• Alza
• Centocor
• Ortho-McNeil
• IVAX

TorHoerman Law is not involved in the Elmiron Class Action Lawsuit.

Elmiron Lawsuit Damages

The total losses that you incurred as a result of your injuries are referred to as damages.

Common damages in Elmiron cases include:

• Medical bills
• Future medical bills related to vision loss
• Emotional distress
• Pain and suffering
• Lost wages and earning capabilities
• Loss of enjoyment of life due to the disease, damages, and loss of vision
• Other tangible and intangible costs associated with your injury

An Elmiron vision loss lawyer can help you to calculate your total damages, including both compensatory damages and punitive damages.

Example of an Elmiron Lawsuit

To give insight on how an Elmiron Lawsuit may play out, here is a recent example of one:

In October 2021, Deborah Quick filed an Oregon court case which alleged the prolonged use of Elmiron had caused macular vision loss.

She used Elmiron every day for twenty years, from 2000 until April 2020.

During her second year using Elmiron, Quick began to have trouble with her vision.

Quick initially filed a complaint against Janssen in federal courts in Oregon.

Her case was later transferred to the Elmiron MDL in New Jersey.

If you were prescribed Elmiron (pentosan polysulfate sodium) and experienced maculopathy, reduced vision, retinal injury, other adverse side effects - you could be eligible for an Elmiron lawsuit.

If you took Elmiron and were diagnosed with any of the above symptoms, you may be entitled to compensation for any losses that you incurred as a result of your injuries.

An Elmiron vision loss lawyer can help you to calculate your total damages, including both compensatory damages and punitive damages.

Consult with an Elmiron Lawyer...

After you have received medical treatment and diagnosis, contact an Elmiron lawyer from TorHoerman Law for a free, no-obligation case consultation.

An attorney from our team can help you get started on filing an Elmiron Lawsuit and represent you if needed.

You should familiarize yourself with the process of a civil lawsuit so that you are aware of the process of your Elmiron lawsuit.

If you do decide to move forward with your lawsuit, you will need to hire a personal injury lawyer to represent you as your Elmiron vision loss lawyer.

Vision problems affect people for the rest of their lives.

Proper legal action can help remedy both the economic and non-economic damages suffered.

Hiring a lawyer educated on Elmiron Eye Damage Litigation is critical for earning full compensation for your potential case.

Legal action can be intimidating, but working with a law firm that understands the attorney-client relationship and is experienced in handling complex mass tort cases can ease unneeded stress.

If you have suffered eye injuries after using Elmiron, consider hiring the Elmiron Lawyers at TorHoerman Law for your case.

TorHoerman Law has achieved more than $4 billion in verdicts and negotiated settlements for a variety of personal injury cases.

Our past results afford us recognition as some of the best attorneys in the country.

Our team of Elmiron Lawyers has put in the work to get justice for people around the country injured by dangerous drugs and defective medical devices.

We have some of the best attorneys in the state staffed on our team – and we aren’t just saying that.

A number of our attorneys have been named Top Lawyers in Illinois including Top 100 Lawyers in the state of Illinois - prestigious awards given through nominations by their peers in the industry.

Our focus is based solely on competent legal representation, relationship building, and full financial recovery for your serious injuries.

THL: Holding the Drug Manufacturer Accountable

Our law firm is deeply involved in the Elmiron litigation and the Elmiron MDL.

THL's team of Elmiron Lawyers aims to hold Janssen Pharmaceuticals accountable for their negligence.

We are accepting Elmiron claims from any affected individual suffering from problems caused by Elmiron.

Our law firm offers free, no-obligation case consultations for all potential Elmiron Eye Damage Lawsuits.

Contact TorHoerman Law today to learn more about your potential Elmiron case and legal options.

TorHoerman Law - your Elmiron Lawyers