Risperdal Lawsuit News: Sixth Gynecomastia Trial Now Underway in Pennsylvania Mass Tort Litigation, Bernstein Liebhard LLP Reports

NEW YORK, Dec. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A Nebraska man who began taking Risperdal in 2004 when he was just 7 years old is the sixth gynecomastia plaintiff to take his case before a jury in the mass tort litigation now underway in Pennsylvania's Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. In an opening statement delivered on December 2^nd, the Plaintiff's attorney asserted that Risperdal was directly responsible for the excessive breast growth he experienced as an adolescent, and argued that the young man would have never taken the medication were it not for an allegedly misleading label that characterized gynecomastia as a rare side effect that occurred in fewer than 1 in 1,000 patients. (Case No. 130501076)

"Our Firm is representing a number of clients who are also pursuing Risperdal gynecomastia claims, and we are monitoring this latest trial closely. The outcome could provide insight into possible verdicts in similar cases," said Sandy A. Liebhard, a partner at Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationwide law firm representing the victims of defective drugs and medical devices. The Firm continues to provide free legal reviews to men and boys who allegedly experienced excessive breast growth due to their use of Risperdal.

Risperdal Gynecomastia Verdicts

Risperdal is an atypical antipsychotic used to treat schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. Though it was approved for adults in the 1990s, Risperdal was not cleared for use in children until 2006. In November 2013, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that Johnson & Johnson and Janssen Pharmaceuticals had agreed to pay $2.2 billion to settle charges that they improperly marketed certain medications, including Risperdal.  Among other things, the government had alleged that the companies encouraged doctors to prescribe the antipsychotic to children years before the U.S. Food & Drug Administration approved any pediatric uses. (Case No. No. 130402094)

More than 2,000 Risperdal lawsuits are pending in the Philadelphia mass tort program. The proceeding concluded its fifth gynecomastia trial in July, with a jury awarding  $70 million – the litigation's largest verdict thus far-- to a teenager who experienced the growth of female-like breasts shortly after he began taking Risperdal in 2003, when he was just  five years old.

The litigation's second-largest verdict – $2.5 million – was awarded in February 2015, at the conclusion of Pennsylvania's first gynecomastia trial. (Case No. A-196444)  A month later, another jury declined to award a second plaintiff any damages, after they were unable to  conclude that Risperdal had caused his breast growth. However, jurors did find that the safety warnings provided to patients and doctors were inadequate. (Case No. 130301803)

A third Pennsylvania Risperdal plaintiff emerged victorious in November 2015, when he was awarded $1.75 million (later reduced the verdict to $680,000). (Case No. 130401990) The following month, a fourth gynecomastia trial ended with a verdict for the plaintiff in the amount of $500,000. (Case No. 130401984)

Risperdal patients who allegedly developed gynecomastia connected with its use may be eligible to file their own lawsuit. To find out more, please contact Bernstein Liebhard LLP by visiting the Firm's website, or by calling 800-511-5092.

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 $3.5 billion on behalf of our clients. Bernstein Liebhard LLP is honored to once again be named to The National Law Journal's "Plaintiffs' Hot List," recognizing the top plaintiffs firms in the country. This year's nomination marks the thirteenth year the firm has been named to this prestigious annual list.

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Bernstein Liebhard LLP
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