Over the past few years, Illinois Botox lawyers and others have seen the growth of Botox as a trendy way to decrease the wrinkles and lines that appear with age. Botox is made of a toxin that is injected into the skin to reduce the cosmetic effects of aging without the need for plastic surgery.  It is also used to treat other conditions such as limb spasticity associated with cerebral palsy.

The Botox toxin, botulinum toxin, is the same one which causes the serious illness we know as botulism.  Illinois Botox injury attorneys and their clients know that while Botox can make you appear younger without anesthesia or other surgical risks, it is not without risks of its own.

Risks Associated with Botox

On April 30, 2009 the FDA required that the manufacturers of Botox strengthen their warning labels.  Specifically, the manufacturers were required to add a black box warning label regarding the potential dangers when the Botox toxin leaves the intended site and travels to other parts of the body.  The early communication from the FDA about the ongoing safety review of Botox warns doctors and patients to be aware of the symptoms of botulism including:

  • Breathing problems;
  • Weakness;
  • Difficulty swallowing; and
  • Difficulty speaking.

Black box warnings are among the strongest safety recommendations that the FDA can make and should alert doctors and consumers to the potential risks associated with Botox.  The Botox injuries and deaths that have been reported have not yet included anyone who uses the drug for cosmetic reasons. However, the FDA believes that those who use Botox for cosmetic reasons should be aware of the risks as well.

What to Do if You have Been Hurt by Botox

If you suffer from a Botox side effect then you may have a cause of action against either the drug’s manufacturer or the physician who prescribed the treatment depending on the circumstances of your case.

In order to succeed in a case against your physician, you will need to prove that your physician was negligent in prescribing and administering Botox to you.  You, together with your Illinois Botox injury attorney, will need to prove that your physician owed you a duty of care, that your physician breached that duty of care by failing to act like a reasonably prudent physician would in similar circumstances, that the breach of the duty of care was the cause of your injuries and that you are entitled to damages as a result of the physician’s negligence.

Dolan Law Offices represents patients who suffered injuries from Botox use throughout Illinois and the greater Chicagoland area, including Cook County, DuPage County, Lake County, McHenry County, and Will County, and the towns of Aurora, Addison, Chicago Heights, Joliet, Hillsdale, Plainfield, Rolling Meadows, Des Plains, Schaumburg, Palatine, Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Hanover Park, Streamwood, Prospect Heights, Wheeling, Wheaton, Waukegan, Inverness, Barrington, Buffalo Grove, Elgin, Bartlett, Itasca, Bloomingdale and Oak Park.

Please contact us today for a free consultation.  The Chicago Botox attorneys of Dolan Law Offices will not collect a fee from you unless your case results in a monetary verdict or settlement.