Thousands of Risperdal lawsuits are waiting to be tried in Philadelphia as part of a mass tort program. Two Risperdal lawsuits have already been tried and a third Risperdal lawsuit is about to begin.

So far, the jury verdicts have been split in determining whether Johnson & Johnson should be held liable for failing to warn the medical community and the general public about dangerous side effects associated with using Risperdal.

The Risperdal lawsuits allege that Johnson & Johnson produced a dangerous and defective medication that caused adolescent males to develop gynecomastia, or male breast growth. Risperdal is a popular antipsychotic medication often used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

The second Philadelphia Risperdal verdict was passed down in March. In this case, the jury cleared Johnson & Johnson of liability.

According to the verdict, although the jury found that Risperdal warning labels were inadequate, the jury was unwilling to conclude that Risperdal caused the plaintiff’s abnormal breast growth. The issue of causation is a major factor in winning a favorable jury verdict.

Legal experts believe that Johnson & Johnson will continue to argue a lack of causation in Risperdal cases, since it is a more jury friendly argument as opposed to the defendant arguing Risperdal’s warning labels were adequate.

In the first Risperal lawsuit, the jury announced a $2.5 million verdict against Johnson & Johnson. In that case the jury not only concluded that Risperdal’s warning labels were inadequate but also that the medication was the primary cause of the plaintiff’s male breast growth.

In both cases Johnson & Johnson attempted to argue that the male breast growth was a result of obesity and puberty rather than an effect of taking Risperdal. Plaintiffs’ attorneys believe that this will continue to be Johnson & Johnson’s strategy going forward.

Future Risperdal Cases

There are approximately 1,300 Risperdal cases waiting to be heard in the Philadelphia court. Plaintiffs’ attorneys suggest that Risperdal cases are unlikely to be settled outside of court.

Carl Tobias, a professor at the University of Richmond School of Law notes that because such a small number of cases have been tried, very little can be grasped from their current outcomes. He believes that Johnson & Johnson will continue to litigate until a clear pattern or outcome for cases can be established.

Another major factor that is keeping Risperdal cases on the litigation track is a pending appeal on a judgment barring punitive damages. The plaintiff’s attorney challenging the ruling believes decisions in other multidistrict ligation panels support overturning the current ban on punitive damages. Overturning the punitive damages ban may help entice Johnson & Johnson to settle more of the cases pending against the company.

Risperdal Lawsuits

Product liability attorneys are looking for potential plaintiffs to bring Risperdal lawsuits. Whether a Risperdal lawsuit should be brought is a determination that should be made on a case by case basis with the advice of a legal professional.