First Risperdal Gynecomastia Trial Commences in Pennsylvania Litigation, Bernstein Liebhard LLP Reports
New York, New York (PRWEB) January 26, 2015 -- The first trial involving gynecomastia, or male breast growth, began on January 23rd in the Pennsylvania mass tort litigation established for hundreds of Risperdal lawsuits (http://www.risperdallawsuit2014.com/), Bernstein Liebhard LLP reports. According to court documents issued by the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, the case was filed on behalf of a 20-year-old autistic man who allegedly developed the condition as a result of taking Risperdal when he was 8-years-old. During opening statements on Friday, an attorney for the Plaintiff alleged that the manufacturers of the drug asserted that fewer than 1 in 1,000 boys who took Risperdal would develop gynecomastia, when the true risk was closer to 1 in 100. The lawyer also told the 16-member jury that Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Pharmaceuticals unit had a duty to be transparent about the risks associated with Risperdal, but allegedly concealed studies that tied the medication to excessive male breast growth. (Case No. 1204-01997)
“Our Firm is representing numerous Risperdal gynecomastia plaintiffs who have filed claims in this litigation, so we will be watching the progress of this case with great interest. As a bellwether trial, its outcome could provide valuable insight into how juries might rule in similar lawsuits,” says Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationwide law firm representing the victims of defective drugs and medical devices. The Firm is currently offering free legal consultations to men and boys who allegedly developed gynecomastia due to their use of Risperdal.
Risperdal Gynecomastia Allegations
According to court documents, 1,257 Risperdal lawsuits are currently pending in the Pennsylvania litigation. All of these lawsuits were filed on behalf of individuals who allegedly suffered serious side effects related to their use, including gynecomastia, a condition marked by the excess development of breast tissue in boys and men. Among other things, the complaints accuse Johnson & Johnson and its Janssen Pharmaceuticals unit of improperly marketing the medication for off-label pediatric uses. The gynecomastia claims also accuse the companies of failing to warn that Risperdal can cause the body to produce excess amounts of prolactin, a hormone tied to female breast growth and lactation. (In Re: Risperdal Litigation, Case Number 100300296).
In November 2013, Johnson & Johnson and Janssen agreed to pay $2.2 billion to resolve criminal and civil charges levied by the U.S. Department of Justice regarding the marketing of several medications, including Risperdal. Among other things, the companies were accused of improperly promoting the antipsychotic drug for unapproved uses, and of paying kickbacks to physicians who prescribed Risperdal. According to the Department of Justice, the settlement ranked among the largest involving healthcare fraud in U.S. history. (U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 04-cv-1529)
Victims of gynecomastia allegedly related to the use of Risperdal may be able to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and other damages. To learn more about filing a Risperdal lawsuit, please visit Bernstein Liebhard LLP’s website. For a free case review, please call 800-511-5092. (U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 04-cv-1529)
About Bernstein Liebhard LLP
Bernstein Liebhard LLP is a New York-based law firm exclusively representing injured persons in complex individual and class action lawsuits nationwide since 1993. As a national law firm, Bernstein Liebhard LLP possesses all of the legal and financial resources required to successfully challenge billion dollar pharmaceutical and medical device companies. As a result, our attorneys and legal staff have been able to recover more than $3 billion on behalf of our clients. The Firm has been named by The National Law Journal to the Plaintiffs’ Hot List, recognizing the top plaintiffs firms in the country, for the past 12 consecutive years. Bernstein Liebhard LLP is the only firm in the country to be named to this prestigious list every year since it was first published in 2003.
Bernstein Liebhard LLP
10 East 40th Street
New York, New York 10016
800-511-5092
ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. © 2015 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, 800-511-5092. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.
Contact Information:
Felecia L. Stern, Esq.
info (at) consumerinjurylawyers (dot) com
http://www.risperdallawsuit2014.com/
https://plus.google.com/115936073311125306742?rel=author
Felecia L. Stern, Risperdal Gynecomastia Lawsuit Center, http://www.risperdallawsuit2014.com/, +1 800-511-5092, [email protected]
Share this article