At last, the defective drug trial of actor James Marshall is underway in a New Jersey court. The trial had been delayed last year when a New Jersey appellate court reversed a previous Accutane verdict. But now it is underway in Atlantic City, featuring testimony by Hollywood colleagues of Marshall such as actor-directors Martin Sheen and Robin Reiner and actor Brian Dennehy.

Marshall was a rising star in the early 1990s, having been a major performer in cult TV hit Twin Peaks and then having played a troubled Marine accused of murder in the Oscar-nominated courtroom drama A Few Good Men. It also starred Tom Cruise, Demi Moore and Jack Nicholson and was directed by Reiner.

But after Marshall took acne drug Accutane, his career was cut short. The defective drug caused him to suffer an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) which necessitated surgical removal of Marshall’s colon.

Sheen has testified in the trial that Marshall lost weight, lost enthusiasm and evinced a frail physicality after his IBD injury. Marshall says he feels like a prisoner in his own home, having to endure a multitude of trips to the bathroom each day due to inflammation in his digestive tract.

Marshall’s trial is under his original name of James Greenblatt, in the case of Greenblatt vs. Hoffman-La Roche. Roche is the Swiss pharmaceutical giant which reaped billions in profits from selling Accutane from 1982-2009, when it yanked Accutane from the market.

Marshall wants Roche to pay him $11 million in damages for his lost salary, past medical costs and future health care. To date, Roche has paid over $40 million to several Accutane victims in Accutane lawsuit actions.

Plaintiffs say Roche was aware that its potent acne treatment could cause side effects such as IBD, but did not warn potential users and kept selling Accutane to keep making vast profits.

Even with Roche’s Accutane recall, generic Accutane is still sold -- and still causes IBD injuries. These drugs include Sotret, Claravis and Amnesteem.

Americans who have suffered IBD or IBS injuries after using acne drug Accutane are advised to consult with a defective drug lawyer. Jim S. Adler & Associates can provide such a personal injury attorney for a prospective Accutane lawsuit.