James Marshall, Andrew McCarrell, and Adam Mason are not names that you may know, but they are involved in cases that may shape the outcomes of many people’s lives – they are three men who have filed suits against Roche, the manufacturer of the acne medication Accutane, and two of these men have won significant settlements from the company, possibly shaping the outcomes of future lawsuits.
James Marshall was an aspiring Hollywood actor, snagging parts in Twin Peaks, A Few Good Men, and Gladiator before he was forced to have his colon removed due to inflammatory bowel disease. His case is on hold due to the retrial of a similar Accutane-related lawsuit in New Jersey. Andrew McCarrell initially won $2.62 million from Roche in 2007 after Accutane left him needing five surgeries and a removed colon, but the drugmaker appealed the decision and won. McCarrell, a computer programmer from Alabama, was allowed a retrial in 2010 and won a final settlement of $25.16 million. Adam Mason’s case was also appealed by Roche, but he ended up netting $7 million in damages after developing Crohn’s disease after being prescribed Accutane in 1991.
Accutane was a heavy-duty acne medication, used in the treatment of acne that was not helped by other methods such as ointments and antibiotics, that was pulled from the shelves in 2009 – purportedly due to generic competition, but evidence points towards the increase in the reports of side effects associated with the medication, as well as the many Accutane lawsuits the company is now being forced to deal with. Unfortunately, Marshall, McCarrell, and Mason are not the only people who have suffered because of Accutane, but thanks to the lawsuits that have achieved settlements for their plaintiffs due to their pain and suffering they have endured as well as medical costs and losses in their income.
No comments:
Post a Comment