Why file a lawsuit against Risperdal?

Risperdal is atypical antipsychotic that changes the effect of brain chemicals. The U.S. Department of Justice said that the makers of Risperdal illegally marketed drug to children. According to a former Johnson and Johnson sales manager, the company didn’t wait to obtain FDA approval before promoting its use for children.

During a Risperdal trial in Pennsylvania, a Johnson and Johnson sales manager admitted that the company trained salespeople to promote Risperdal to children as early as 2003. This was despite the fact that the drug was not approved for use by children.

This has led to a growing number of lawsuits against the company by several men who took the drug when they were children and developed male breasts, a condition known as Gynecomastia. Over the past few years, juries have awarded $2.5 million, $1.75 million, and $500,000 in cases filed in a Pennsylvania state court. Several other cases are expected to move forward in the next few months.

These lawsuits claim that the manufacturer of Risperdal knew about the potential side effects and hid it from the public. The plaintiff argue that the company should have warned them about these side effects.

It is not the first the Risperdal faces legal action. In May 2012, the Kentucky attorney general announced a lawsuit alleging Johnson & Johnson concealed dangerous side effects of Risperdal, including diabetes, substantial weight gain, stroke and Gynecomastia. The Kentucky attorney general was quickly joined by other state attorney generals. The company in August 2012 settled with the state of Kentucky for $181 million, Texas for $159 million in 2012 and with Montana for $5.9 million in 2014.

If you or a loved suffered from Gynecomastia, otherwise known as male breast growth, after taking Risperdal, you may be entitled for compensation. Contact our office immediately. Our office handles these cases from across the country.