SJS is an allergic reaction to certain medications that can result in death. It has been linked to pain killers, antibiotics, barbiturates, anti-convulsants, non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, arthritis medications, and sulfa antibiotics such as Bextra, Arava, Aventis, Remicade, Allopurinol, Phenytoin, Carbamazepine, Ibuprofen, Daypro, childrens Motrin, Advil, Lamectal and Topamax. Stevens Johnson Syndrome reactions include inflammation of mucosal membranes (mouth, throat, eyes, genital tract, intestinal tract), skin burning, lesions, blisters and bleeding which can lead to infections, burning and soughing off of sheets of cells in the lungs, permanent blindness, dry eyes, photophobia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, permanent loss of nail beds, scarring of the mucosal membranes, arthritis, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Drug companies, more concerned with making a profit than keeping drug users from dying, have not (until the FDA stepped in) put black box warnings about the very real danger of SJS on their products, even medications given to young children. They interpret statistics in deceitful ways so that SJS sounds like an extremely rare and not a dangerous illness. However with a typical 50%-60% mortality rate for those diagnosed with Stevens Johnson Syndrome, it is a dangerous disease and patients should be warned before taking the drug about the risks of SJS.

For those who have already fallen victim to unsafe drugs and developed Stevens Johnson Syndrome, you might want to join those who have filed lawsuits against the manufacturers of these drugs that contain no warnings about SJS. If you or your beloved family member is suffering from SJS and can link it to the use of a particular drug, you could be entitled to financial compensation. As with all lawsuits, it is imperative that you act fast and file your suit as quickly as you can. You can file an individual lawsuit or a class action lawsuit as many people are affected by these drugs and have contracted SJS. Class action lawsuits are the most reliable for getting large settlements because of reliability in numbers. This also decreases the cost of filing the suit. However the settlement must be split between all of the parties in the suit, meaning that the individual may perhaps get less than if he or she was awarded the settlement in an individual lawsuit. You should consult a Stevens Johnson Syndrome lawyer to learn about your options and choose the best one for you depending upon the strength of your case.