A Philadelphia jury sent a strong message to Johnson & Johnson regarding the company’s marketing of its prescription drug Risperdal. A Maryland man filed a lawsuit alleging that the company failed to properly acknowledge known risks that the prescription medication could lead to breast growth in boys.
The plaintiff, along with several thousand others, sued the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, after he was diagnosed with gynecomastia. Gynecomastia is a condition that causes men to grow breasts. Attorneys for the plaintiff argued that the company did not warn prescribing doctors about Risperdal’s risk and wrongfully marketed the drug as an acceptable treatment for children diagnosed with various mental health disorders.
The jury’s verdict included approximately $680,000 in compensatory damages. Compensatory damages are awarded to compensate plaintiffs for medical bills, future medical care, and lost wages. However, the largest portion of the verdict against Johnson & Johnson’s subsidiary was the punitive damages. Punitive damages are intended to punish parties for their actions. Typically, a jury is permitted to consider the defendant’s net worth in determining the amount of punitive damages to award.
Johnson & Johnson is no stranger to lawsuits. The company is facing thousands of lawsuits stemming from several of its products including pelvic mesh, artificial hip products, and talcum powder. The company has stated, as it has previously, that it would appeal jury verdicts from personal injury lawsuits.
If you or someone you know has been injured as the result of a defective product, contact an attorney at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling (713) 222-7211 or toll free at 713-222-7211.