New Jersey treats Levaquin claims as class action

Lawsuits against Levaquin's manufacturer filed in New Jersey will be treated as a "mass tort" under the July, 2009, ruling of New Jersey's Supreme Court.  The plaintiffs argue that they suffered tendon injuries, frequently achilles' tendon tears, as a side-effect of treatment with the Johnson & Johnson antibiotic.  The FDA warned of the risk of tendon injuries associated with fluoroquinolone class antibiotics in 2008, some dozen years after the antibiotics were approved for sale. 

The injury victims claim that the manufacturer was negligent in failing to provide earlier notice of this complication.  The risk of injured tendons is highest while the antibiotic is being administered or soon after administration, and in users over age 60 or for persons also taking steroids.  The risk is also greater for persons with kidney, heart or lung transplants, according to representatives of the alleged victims.