Generic Accutane Defendants At Fault, Too

Depression, birth defects, and inflammatory bowel disease are some of the major side effects of Accutane, but generic forms of the drug – called isotretinoin – come with the same side effects as well. Patients who have experienced these symptoms are filing lawsuits against the companies responsible for the products they consumed, whether the company is Hoffman-LaRoche – makers of the brand name Accutane – or one of the generic forms of the drug.

James Marshall Settlement Still Up in the Air

Although there has been no settlement amount yet released to the public related to the ongoing Accutane trials, legal experts can speculate based on previous Accutane settlement amounts. More than three thousand Accutane lawsuits have been filed and there is no telling how many more are on their way to the courts. In the past, plaintiffs have received millions of dollars from Accutane settlements and there is no reason to doubt that this will also be the case in subsequent trials.
A plaintiff named Adam Mason won seven million dollars in 2007 after developing Crohn’s disease linked to Accutane. Roche appealed the decision and lost. The most substantial Accutane winning to date was in the case of Andrew McCarrell, who won $2.6 million during his trial. Roche appealed the decision and McCarrell subsequently won $25 million after a jury ruled in his favor. McCarrell was a victim of Accutane-related inflammatory bowel disease, one of the most common severe side effects of Accutane. He was forced to undergo the removal of his colon due to the condition.
James Marshall, an actor who once had a promising career – with parts in movies such as A Few Good Men and Gladiator – before his health was destroyed by Accutane. His Accutane lawyers have reportedly asked Roche for a $11 million settlement that would cover lost wages and medical costs past and future. A jury could decide in his favor and order Roche to pay more than that amount – or Roche could pay him a settlement out of court before the trial is even completed. If Roche takes this course of action, they may also choose to settle with plaintiffs whose cases have not yet been heard.
Roche would likely appeal a decision in favor of Marshall, which could happen in the New Jersey court as early as next month.

Accutane Trial Well Underway

Trials related to the controversial acne medication Accutane, manufactured by Roche, are well underway in New Jersey, with three plaintiffs finally presenting their long-awaited cases. James Marshall, Kelley Andrews, and Gillian Gaghan have all been affected by gastrointestinal disorders that they believe are a result of the once-popular acne medication, which has been discontinued by Roche after allegations of serious side effects began to surface. The drug, which contains the active ingredient isotretinoin, was initially introduced to the pharmaceuticals market as chemotherapy, and was only approved for treatment of severe acne years later.

Accutane Trials Continue

This week marks the fourth since the New Jersey Accutane trial began, and plaintiffs – as well as potential plaintiffs – are waiting to see what kind of result will come from the trial, which may indicate the kind of settlements they will be able to expect from their own trials. Accutane lawyers, too, are using this initial trial, which combines the lawsuits of three patients, to gauge the kind of settlement their clients may be able to receive as well as the feel of the trial process for this particular case.

James Marshall, Kelly Andrews, and Gillian Gaghan are all former Accutane users and all suffer from gastrointestinal diseases that they believe are a result of their Accutane use. James Marshall was an aspiring actor who developed a debilitating bowel disease that ended his promising career, which included roles in movies such as Gladiator and A Few Good Men. Hollywood celebrities, including Martin Sheen and Rob Reiner, are expected to be brought into court to testify on Marshall’s behalf.

Kelly Andrews, an account manager, suffers from Crohn’s disease and has endured 7 major surgeries, one of which removed her colon. She began taking Accutane when her doctor prescribed it to her at the age of 17. She is now 29 years old and has been hospitalized over 25 times as a result of her condition. Gillian Gaghan was 22 when she began taking the medication, and started experiencing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome within months. Now 34, she is expected to endure flare-ups of the condition throughout the rest of her life.

Representatives for Accutane drugmaker Roche claim that the link between Accutane and certain gastrointestinal disorders is not conclusive, and maintain that the warnings they placed on the product were sufficient enough to cover any potential side effects. Roche is due to begin their testimony in about two weeks, and the trial is expected to be concluded in about 6 weeks.