Yes, this gel does have the potential to cause liver damage. I have liver cysts so I am very careful about what I apply or ingest. That is why I stopped applying Voltaren after learning the info from reputable sources. I had applied it on lumbar region for about three weeks. That was over 16 yrs ago. My husband was prescribed the gel and I made him aware of the caveats, but he insisted that he'd use it on an "absolutely too much pain" basis. I am very uneasy with his using this medication, and I wear nitrile gloves when applying it very sparingly on painful areas on his back. He finds OTC creams/gels pretty useless and odiferous. I can't take prescription pain meds so I apply heating pad, take Aleve (what my primary told me to take sparingly since it can raise my blood pressure), apply Blue Emu cream (works for me; has no odor), and listen to my body telling me to slow down/rest, which I have to do since my entire body is affected when there is high pain in any given area.
If you decide to use the Voltaren, do apply it very sparingly and only on the affected areas. Use gloves, dispose of them afterwards, wash hands thoroughly anyway. And make sure that bloodwork includes testing liver enzymes, etc.