The latest and largest Risperdal jury award is the fifth instance where juries found that the makers of Risperdal did not provide adequate warning of Risperdal’s risks to patients and doctors.
A Philadelphia jury awarded Andrew Yount $70 million after he suffered from Risperdal side effects. The Tennessee boy started taking Risperdal in 2003 when he was just five years old and developed gynecomastia (male breast growth) just one year after taking the anti-psychotic medication.
During the trial, it was the boy’s father testimony that convinced the jury that the giant drug company intentionally falsified, concealed or destroyed evidence. Attorneys’ representing Yount argued that Janssen, the manufacturer of Risperdal, knew about the link between Risperdal and gynecomastia yet decided to withhold that information. Yount’s attorneys provided Janssen’s internal documents that showed it purposely limited the medical community’s understanding of the risks associated with Risperdal.
An attorney for the boy told the Pennsylvania Records that “all the cases rise and fall on the specific facts of the of the case,” which is indeed good news to more than approximately 1,500 cases still pending. The attorney also noted that this award, and the largest to date, means attorneys are learning how to maximize their clients’ recoveries.
To date there have been four Risperdal cases tried to verdict. Three have resulted in verdicts in favor of the injured plaintiff in the amount of $2.5 Million, $1.75 Million, and $500,000. A fifth case ended with some jurors saying there was not enough evidence to directly link Risperdal as the cause of gynecomastia, although they unanimously agreed that the makers of Risperdal should have warned the public that its drug could lead to excessive breast growth.
The makers of Risperdal argue that this amount “is entirely out of step with any reasonable analysis of actual damages suffered by the plaintiff, and that millions of Risperdal patients have reaped significant benefits from their use of the medication.” Our law firm continues to investigate Risperdal lawsuits around the country. If you or a loved one suffered from gynecomastia after Risperdal, contact our office immediately.