Estimated Taxotere Lawsuit Settlement Amounts for Eye Injuries

Overview of the Taxotere Lawsuit

Taxotere is a chemotherapy drug approved by the FDA since 1996. Initially intended as a breast cancer treatment, it became a commonly prescribed medication due to its effectiveness.

Beyond breast cancer, healthcare professionals also used Taxotere for lung cancer, prostate cancer, and various other diseases.

Side Effects of Taxotere

Despite its effectiveness, Taxotere comes with associated side effects. Sanofi, the producer of Taxotere, initially issued warnings about potential issues including:

• Skin problems
• Blood disorders
• Temporary hair loss

However, in practice, some patients experienced even more severe side effects, such as permanent hair loss and vision issues.

FDA Mandated Label Revision for Taxotere

In response to these severe side effects, the FDA required a label revision for Taxotere.

This mandate required Sanofi to include a warning about the possibility of permanent alopecia (hair loss).

However, for many people who took Taxotere for breast cancer treatment, this label change came too late.

They had already suffered from hair loss and vision injuries.

The Taxotere Lawsuits

Victims of these severe side effects brought forth lawsuits against Sanofi, leading to the formation of the Taxotere eye injury multidistrict litigation (MDL) by the Eastern District of Louisiana.

The aim of these lawsuits is to:

• Prove Sanofi’s liability
• Compensate victims for their suffering

Should the court rule in their favor, the plaintiffs would become entitled to financial compensation from Sanofi.

Taxotere Hair Loss Lawsuits

Separately, there have also been Taxotere hair loss lawsuits, existing since 2016.

These lawsuits are targeted towards addressing the permanent hair loss experienced by some patients following their treatment with Taxotere.

What Is the Estimated Taxotere Settlement Amount?

As of writing, there have not been any successful settlements yet.

The bellwether trials for the eye injury MDL are still yet to be scheduled, so there is no sure settlement estimate available.

While the hair loss MDL bellwether trials were conducted as early as 2017, there is also no settlement amount estimate since Sanofi won the trials.

For now, we can examine data from other eye-related lawsuits and their outcomes to guess a range.

Milder cases, like eye irritation and corneal abrasion, usually max out at around $23,000.

On the other hand, the more severe cases start at $50,000 and could reach hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Those who suffered permanent loss of vision can expect the highest compensation.

Take note that the values we shared above are only from related eye injury lawsuits and should not be used on an exact basis.

Talk to a law firm or your lawyer for more information.

Factors That May Affect the Taxotere Settlement Value

The compensation you can receive after winning the Taxotere lawsuit depends on several factors.

Even though we provided a range above, the amount may be much higher or lower due to the following:

• Medical Bills: The more medical procedures, services, and treatments you need for your Taxotere eye injury, the higher the amount you may receive. So be sure to document every instance of medical attention that you need for your eye injury.
• Severity: As mentioned above, the seriousness of your injury is a major deciding factor in the settlement you’ll receive.
• Other Damages: You may have experienced other economic and non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, lost wages, and ongoing treatments. If you can prove that you experienced these damages, you may get a higher settlement amount.

The compensation received from a successful Taxotere lawsuit varies, and it depends on factors such as the extent of your medical bills, the severity of your injury, and any additional economic and non-economic damages you’ve experienced, like pain, suffering, lost wages, and ongoing treatments.

Background on Taxotere as a Chemotherapy Drug

According to Sanofi, Taxotere is a microtubule inhibitor.

The drug works against the supporting structure of a cell or its “skeleton.”

The cytoskeleton is normally flexible and able to assemble and disassemble continuously as part of cell division.

However, Taxotere makes the structure rigid.

This effect works against cancer cells so they can’t replicate. Since they can’t reproduce, the cells simply die off.

Even though Taxotere was released in the 1990s, it has gained popularity and remains as one of the most effective cancer treatments.

It’s also used with other drugs to increase effectiveness.

In most cases, Taxotere is complemented by radiation therapy for more advanced cancer diagnoses.

Unfortunately, Taxotere is too effective at its job.

It doesn’t discriminate between the cells it affects — cancerous or otherwise.

While most of the body’s cell types can withstand the breast cancer drug, more sensitive cells can be severely damaged.

Cells in the hair follicles are particularly vulnerable, increasing the risk of permanent hair loss.

Other affected organ systems react with inflammation and swelling.

Long-term Effects of Taxotere on the Body

Immediately after the intravenous administration of Taxotere, breast cancer patients may feel problems such as nausea, itching and rashes on the skin, shortness of breath, and swelling in the face or lips.

However, these are just the short-term side effects of the drug.

As Taxotere affects healthy cells throughout the chemotherapy treatment, the long-term effects become more apparent.

Aside from the hair follicles, the eyes and lacrimal system are vulnerable to damage from Taxotere.

Here are some of the eye injuries plaintiffs allege have stemmed from the effects of the drug.

Lacrimal Duct Obstruction

The lacrimal or tear ducts serve as the passage where tears drain out of the eye and into the nasal cavity.

Thanks to these tubes, the eyes don’t become overfilled with tears.

However, Taxotere can cause something called canalicular inflammation.

In simple terms, the drug causes the tear ducts to swell.

The swollen tubes create an obstruction, trapping tears around the eyes.

The trapped liquid can cause watery eyes, itching, and irritation.

The long-term effect of lacrimal duct obstruction can be severe, ranging from scarring in the cornea to an increased risk of infections.

Epiphora

Epiphora is the medical term for excessive tearing, which usually stems from Taxotere-induced tear duct obstruction.

While epiphora may not seem like a major issue, the build-up of tears can be debilitating.

Blurry eyes can hinder a person from performing normal daily activities.

People with epiphora are also more likely to touch and irritate the sensitive areas of the eyes to clear away the excess tears.

These practices may irritate the eyelids, cornea, and other parts of the lacrimal system.

Docetaxel-induced Cystoid Macular Edema (DIME)

One of the more dangerous side effects of Taxotere is DIME.

The macula is the central section of the retina, and it’s responsible for processing straight-ahead vision into sharp images.

Any issues in the macula can result in blurry and unclear vision.

Taxotere can cause fluid retention in the macula, causing the delicate organ to swell.

While this issue is not life-threatening, DIME can severely affect a person’s way of life, especially those that rely on clear vision for work and daily activities.

Canalicular and Punctal Stenosis

While lacrimal duct obstruction may be temporary, canalicular and punctal stenosis are more dangerous and permanent.

Stenosis refers to the scarring, narrowing, and obstruction of canals in the body.

In this case, the affected areas are the canaliculus and punctum.

Taxotere that gets secreted into tears results in irritation to these passageways, severely damaging these openings.

The Taxotere Eye Injury MDL: Formation and Current Updates

The first Taxotere lawsuits began in 2016, but these were focused on the permanent hair loss resulting from the chemo drug.

These lawsuits were consolidated into the Taxotere hair loss MDL.

However, Sanofi has won several of the Taxotere bellwether trials.

The company also hasn’t paid any settlements.

These rulings aren’t the end of the road for the victims of the chemotherapy drug — appeals have been successful.

Later on, more people started reporting eye injuries after undergoing Taxotere treatment.

The large number of lawsuits filed prompted the creation of the Taxotere eye injury MDL by the Eastern District of Louisiana in March 2022.

Judge Milazzo initially ruled in favor of Sanofi to dismiss the cases, but an appeals court overturned the ruling.

Thus, the Taxotere eye injury MDL returned to the pre-trial phase in December 2023, giving hope to those who have suffered because of the drug.

The latest Taxotere lawsuit update is the pre-trial order trial that was issued in February 2023.

The document requested the appointment of the liaison counsel for the defendants.

While there are no provided dates for the first bellwether trials of the eye injury MDL, the pre-trial order is a good sign that the product liability litigation is soon to come.

Now is a good time for people to file their cases so they can be included in the master docket of the MDL.

Do You Believe You Have a Case?

Pharmaceutical companies and distributors must be held liable for their shortcomings that resulted in people’s suffering.

If you have undergone treatment using Taxotere and experienced severe side effects, then you may be qualified to file a case.

Tru Lawsuit Info serves mainly as a resource for those interested in mass tort cases, but we can also help victims find the legal services they need.

We offer free case evaluations and connect you with the best product liability lawyers so you can get the justice and compensation you deserve.

Contact us now!