Posted in News on April 25, 2012

In all likelihood, parents in Billings have at one point or another given Tylenol to their ailing children. The medication is widely available over the counter in Montana and throughout the country, but a recent court case shows that even America’s most trusted companies may still end up producing an extremely dangerous product.

In 2010, two parents sadly lost their infant child due to the consumption of what they say was contaminated Tylenol. The pain medicine in this case came in the form of a grape-flavored liquid to be administered in drops. After the child passed away, tests apparently revealed the Tylenol drops were contaminated with harmful bacteria, and the parents have sued Johnson & Johnson, the producer of the medicine.

In their lawsuit against the company, the parents have accused Johnson & Johnson of negligent manufacturing, failure to warn consumers, product liability in the form of a defect, misrepresentation and consumer fraud. Evidence seems to reveal that the child’s death was due to a defect in the product at a Pennsylvania manufacturing plant. This plant has been previously cited by the Food and Drug Administration for numerous violations. After the child’s death, the company recalled the defective product.

Unfortunately, deaths resulting from dangerous products occur far too often, and families are left to pick up the pieces after losing a loved one. Companies in Montana and throughout the United States have an obligation to ensure they are not deceiving consumers by failing to warn the public of a known danger. Companies must also make sure they comply with all relevant standards of manufacturing, making certain that negligence doesn’t result in a product heading to market where it can seriously harm to consumers.

While a brand of medicine such as Tylenol may appear safe because many people use it, a bad batch making its way to store shelves is nevertheless possible. To avoid causing injury or even death, all parties involved in the chain of manufacture and sale of a product must exercise due care and caution. Otherwise, it’s the consumers who suffer the consequences.

Source: Huffington Post, “Tylenol Death Lawsuit: Illinois Family Says Contaminated Drug Killed Infant,” April 17, 2012