On August 14th, Syed Zafar filed a Tepezza lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois with Horizon Therapeutics as the defendant. The plaintiff suffered hearing loss and tinnitus and is pursuing compensation for damages like medical expenses, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Tepezza is a prescription medication used to treat the rare autoimmune disorder thyroid eye disease, which causes eye inflammation. Tepezza was the first treatment that could help ease the symptoms of thyroid eye disease, such as double vision, irritation, and bulging eyes. However, users of Tepezza have reported suffering permanent hearing loss and tinnitus, or ringing of the ears.
Plaintiffs in Tepezza lawsuits have claimed the manufacturer, Horizon Therapeutics, failed to adequately warn consumers about the health risks associated with their product.
Tepezza Helps Treat Symptoms of Thyroid Eye Disease
Many people have filed Tepezza hearing loss lawsuits because the popular prescription medication can cause hearing loss and tinnitus. Tepezza was introduced in January 2020 after Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approval as the first medication that could help victims of thyroid eye disease. This rare autoimmune condition can cause inflammation of the eye muscles, fatty tissue, tear glands, and eyelids. Multiple Tepezza infusions can help to ease the double vision and bulging eyes caused by thyroid eye disease.
Tepezza became one of the most profitable prescription medications in the 2020s because of the rarity of a thyroid eye medication. Horizon Therapeutics, the manufacturer of Tepezza, earned over $1 billion in annual sales from the thyroid eye disease medication. However, Tepezza has come under fire from users who suggested the product can cause hearing loss and tinnitus.
Tepezza Lawsuits Allege Manufacturer Failed to Warn of Hearing Loss and Tinnitus
Users of the thyroid eye disease medication have filed Tepezza lawsuits to hold Horizon Therapeutics accountable for failing to warn about the health risks associated with the product. Despite being marketed as a safe treatment for thyroid eye disease, many users have suffered permanent hearing loss and tinnitus, which is the permanent ringing of the ears. The plaintiffs have suggested they have suffered these adverse health conditions well after using Tepezza.
Horizon Therapeutics can be held accountable for damages because they failed to warn users of Tepezza about the medication possibly causing hearing loss and tinnitus. If they had, doctors could have performed hearing tests on patients before and after administering the medication to identify early signs of hearing loss. Another issue regarding Tepezza is that many users require a second treatment, which could expose them to further hearing loss and tinnitus risk.
New Tepezza Lawsuit Filed in Miami-Dade County
On August 14, Syed Zafar of Miami-Dade County filed a Tepezza hearing loss lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Much like the other Tepezza lawsuit plaintiffs, he alleges that he suffered from hearing loss and tinnitus from using Tepezza. Mr. Zafar was diagnosed with thyroid eye disease in July 2021 and began receiving Tepezza treatments until November 2021.
Syed Zafar claims that Horizon Therapeutics, the sole defendant in the lawsuit, knew of the hearing loss and tinnitus risk associated with their product. Despite this knowledge, they failed to warn consumers that they could suffer these adverse health conditions and misrepresented the safety of Tepezza. His hearing loss and tinnitus stem directly from Horizon Therapeutics’ misrepresentation of Tepezza’s safety.
What Damages Can the New Tepezza Plaintiff Pursue?
Victims of Tepezza hearing loss have suffered significant economic and non-economic damages because of their adverse health conditions. Horizon Therapeutics’ negligence cost hearing loss victims monetarily in the form of medical expenses and wage-based losses.
They also led to victims of hearing loss experiencing non-economic damages that affect their quality of life, as they cannot enjoy life as they once had. Hearing loss and tinnitus can affect their relationships with other people, enjoyment of life, and mental health.
In his lawsuit filing, Syed Zafar and his lawyer outlined the damages they will be seeking from Horizon Therapeutics:
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish, anxiety, and discomfort
- Physical impairment
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Pre and post-judgment interest
Tepezza Lawsuits Consolidated into an MDL
In June, some Tepezza lawsuits consolidated into a multi-district litigation (MDL) before Judge Thomas M. Durkin in the Northern District of Illinois. This came after multiple Tepezza lawsuits involving similar facts and allegations regarding Horizon Therapeutics’ failure to warn consumers about the medication’s hearing loss and tinnitus risk.
At the time of consolidation, there were 18 lawsuits n the Tepezza MDL, and now the MDL stands at a count of 42 pending cases. Consolidating Tepezza lawsuits allows for a streamlined discovery process and plaintiffs to share resources to prove their claims.
Shortly after the MDL consolidated, three Tepezza attorneys were named to leadership roles at the initial status conference. As the MDL progresses, we will see bellwether trials, or test trials, to see how juries respond to the evidence of the MDL. Depending on how those go, the plaintiffs and defendant may negotiate a settlement that can pay for each plaintiff’s specific damages.
New Tepezza Label Warns About Hearing Loss and Tinnitus
There have been new developments regarding the warning label on Tepezza packaging. In July, the FDA released a new Tepezza warning label, which now includes information about users suffering from hearing loss and tinnitus.
It also includes a suggestion for doctors administering Tepezza to assess patients’ hearing to determine if the medication has had an effect. These hearing loss warnings are what Tepezza lawsuit plaintiffs wanted to be included on Tepezza packaging from the beginning.
Contact an Experienced Product Liability Lawyer to Help With Your Tepezza Lawsuit
If you used Tepezza and suffered hearing loss and tinnitus, you could file a Tepezza lawsuit to pursue compensation for damages. However, knowing how to handle the process effectively without product liability experience may be difficult. You could make mistakes that could hurt your ability to recover full compensation for your damages.
Hiring a product liability lawyer is essential for Tepezza victims, as they can advise on the best steps to take to put them in the best position to recover compensatory damages. Your Tepezza lawyer can also help them take steps to join the MDL and receive the benefit of streamlined discovery, shared resources, and a global settlement. Contact a Tepezza lawyer today to learn about your best options for pursuing Tepezza hearing loss damages.