$1.75 Million Jury Verdict in Risperdal Case

In the latest of the cases alleging that the anti-psychotic drug Risperdal caused a man to grow female-like breasts, a Philadelphia jury has signed a verdict of $1,750,000 in a case that ended on Nov. 11, 2015.

The report of the case indicated that the jury deliberated for 2 ½ hours after a two-week trial.

Risperdal is manufactured by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, which is a division of Johnson & Johnson. The Risperdal cases claim generally that the manufacturer chose not to warn health care providers and their patients of the condition known as gynecomastia, which causes boys and young men to grow female breasts. In this case, the 21-year-old plaintiff was Nicholas Murray.

Murray was successfully represented by the law firms of Sheller, P.C. and Kline & Specter, both of Philadelphia, along with the firm of Arnold & Itkin with Jason Itkin, Cory Itkin and Samantha Mertz, who all participated in the trial.

The $1.75 million verdict was the fourth Risperdal case handled by the Sheller law firm. In another Risperdal case, the Sheller law firm with Kline & Specter represented a plaintiff with similar claims where the jury entered a verdict in his favor for $2.5 million in February 2015.

In the Murray case, Murray was prescribed Risperdal from 2003 to 2008. He had been treated with this drug for symptoms associated with autism. Between 2006 and 2008, he and his mother noticed that he had breast growth. He was just in his early teens at the time. When he stopped taking Risperdal in 2008, he lost weight, but the breast enlargement remained and appeared larger due to the weight loss.

In 1993, Risperdal was first approved to treat severe psychotic disorders in adults. At the time of approval given by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) it included limited use for children and adolescents. The FDA’s limitations were released publicly in late 2006. Before 2006, the drug was prescribed “off label” to children.

Janssen Pharmaceutical and Johnson & Johnson have their hands full because there are as many as 1,600 individual Risperdal gynecomastia cases pending and awaiting trial.

The Sheller law firm and Janssen have been adversaries in many Risperdal matters, including a giant one where a whistleblower plaintiff represented by Sheller, P.C. alleged that the drug-maker broke the law under the federal False Claims Act. The whistleblower case claimed illegal marketing by Janssen. The result was a $2.2 billion settlement between Janssen and the U.S. Department of Justice in 2013.

Nicolas Murray v. Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., Johnson & Johnson Company and Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development, LLC, No. 130401990, Philadelphia County, Court of Common Pleas (Nov. 11, 2015).

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling pharmaceutical product defect cases, product liability cases, diet supplement injury cases and catastrophic injury cases for individuals and families who have been injured or killed by the negligence of another for more than 38 years, in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas including, Flossmoor, University Park, Schaumburg, Rosemont, Richton Park, Bridgeview, Elmhurst, Elmwood Park, Melrose Park, Chicago (Wicker Park, Uptown, Rogers Park, Old Town, Greek Town, West Loop, Austin, Jackson Park, South Shore, Hegewisch), Lemont, Hillside and Maywood, Ill.

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