Jaundice

Jaundice is a yellow tint to the skin and the whites of the eyes. It happens when bilirubin, a yellow substance made when the body breaks down old red blood cells, builds up faster than the liver can clear it. Jaundice is a sign, not a disease on its own, so doctors look for what is causing it.

In adults, jaundice often points to a liver problem. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases lists jaundice, or yellowing of the skin, as one sign of liver disease. Causes include viral hepatitis, alcohol-related liver disease, blocked bile ducts, and liver injury from medicines or supplements. Dark urine, pale stools, itching, and fatigue often come with it. In newborns, mild jaundice is common in the first days of life because a baby's liver is still maturing, but very high levels need prompt treatment to prevent brain injury.

Jaundice shows up in lawsuits as evidence. In food outbreak cases, jaundice is a hallmark of hepatitis A infection, and medical records noting it help tie a person's illness to the outbreak. In drug and supplement cases, jaundice is often the first visible sign of liver injury, so its timing relative to when someone started a product matters. In birth injury cases, claims sometimes allege that newborn jaundice was not monitored or treated in time.

If jaundice appeared after you ate a recalled food or started a new supplement, write down dates and keep the packaging. See our pages on food recall injury rights and supplement mislabeling lawsuits, and the hepatitis entry for more on viral causes.