Risperdal Lawsuit Verdicts Order Janssen To Pay Millions To Plaintiffs

April 06, 2016 – – LegalHerald.com reports on the verdicts of two Risperdal lawsuits in which Janssen, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, was ordered to pay millions to the State of South Carolina and the family of a young man suffering from drug side effects.

The first lawsuit involved a 20-year-old man who was prescribed Risperdal “off-label” at the age of 8 to treat symptoms of autism. The drug was not FDA approved to treat children until 2006, and among other allegations, the plaintiffs state that the company failed to warn consumers of the dangerous side effects, including gynecomastia. According to the suit, after use of the drug, the boy developed a severe case of gynecomastia, growing size 46DD breasts as a teenager. The Philadelphia jury found favor with the plaintiff and his family awarding them $2.5 million to be paid by Janssen.

Gynecomastia is the term for male breast tissue growth or swelling which is usually caused by a hormone imbalance. Risperdal was found to significantly increase the levels of prolactin, a hormone normally released in the body to stimulate the production of breast milk and breast growth, according to a clinical study published in 2006 in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. While the condition does not pose a serious medical threat to men it can cause extreme emotional stress most especially in individuals who already struggle with mental health issues.

The second suit was filed against Janssen in 2007 by the state of South Carolina and alleged that the company illegally marketed the drug by sending out over 7,000 letters to doctors which downplayed the side effects of Risperdal. They were ordered to pay $4,000 for each letter they sent. The original verdict ordered Janssen to pay $327 million but due to a statute of limitations regarding the warning label, the award was reduced to $136 million. Janssen has previously had trouble in regards to their marketing tactics when they were ordered to pay $2.2 billion in 2013 to settle claims brought by the U.S. Department of Justice and several states involving claims of off-label marketing.

The attorneys of Banville Law are working to ensure that anyone who may have taken Risperdal and suffered from health complications which they attribute to their use of the drug has the opportunity to evaluate their legal options. The firm is currently offering complimentary legal consultations to affected parties and qualified individuals may be eligible for significant compensation.

To ask questions or obtain more information on Risperdal lawsuits, please contact Banville Law by calling (888) 997-3792.

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Contact Banville Law:

Laurence Banville, Esq.
888-997-3792
info@banvillelaw.com
165 West End Avenue, #1H
New York, NY 10023
United States (US)

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