Girl who lost most of her skin awarded $63 million in Motrin lawsuit

BOSTON -- Health care company Johnson & Johnson has been told to pay a Massachusetts teenager and her parents $63 million after she suffered a life-threatening drug reaction and lost most of her skin when she took a children's pain reliever nearly a decade ago.

A Plymouth Superior Court jury Wednesday decided Johnson & Johnson and its McNeil Laboratories subsidiary should pay Samantha Reckis and her parents a total of $109 million, including interest.

Family attorney Brad Henry says Samantha was 7 when she was given Motrin brand ibuprofen. She suffered a rare side effect known as toxic epidermal necrolysis and lost 90 percent of her skin and was blinded.

A spokeswoman for New Brunswick, N.J.-based Johnson & Johnson Services Inc. says the girl's family has suffered a tragedy but the company disagrees with the verdict and is "considering additional legal options."

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