A Puerto Rican native and her family have recently filed a Tylenol liver damage lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson, the maker of Extra Strength Tylenol pain reliever, alleging that the drug caused her to suffer from liver damage due to acetaminophen, the main ingredient in Tylenol. The case was filed earlier this month by Michelle Ann Gonzalez Soto and her family after she was left with permanent injuries which caused her to undergo a liver transplant.

According to Ms. Soto, she took two 500mg of Extra Strength Tylenol to treat a mild headache before bed. However, in the middle of the night she found herself vomiting and thus took two more tablets to treat her nausea and upset stomach. During the next few days, Ms. Soto continued to feel nauseated and pain in her stomach. This caused her to visit the emergency room where she was given two more 500mg tablets of Extra Strength Tylenol pain reliever.

One week after taking Tylenol, Ms. Soto returned to the emergency room because her skin had turned pale yellow. She was then diagnosed by doctors as having acute liver failure and was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit. Her condition caused her to require an immediate liver transplant in order for her to live.

According to reports filed by transplant surgeons, signs of acetaminophen were found in her liver, which ultimately led to her liver failure. Although Ms. Soto was able to receive a liver transplant, she will be taking medication for the rest of her life.

Soto and her family allege that Johnson & Johnson knew the dangerous risks of acetaminophen but failed to provide adequate warnings to consumers. They further allege that the company advertised that up to 4,000mg per day could be taken while displaying the risks in very small print.

The FDA states that acetaminophen overdose is the leading cause of liver failure in the United States. More than 50,000 emergency visits, 25,000 hospitalizations, and over 450 deaths occur annually.

In July 2011, Johnson & Johnson lowered dosage recommendations and agreed to label Tylenol products with stronger warnings including Tylenol liver failure.