A new Abilify gambling addiction lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida, Pensacola Division on Sept. 15, 2017. The plaintiff, Amy C., is bringing her complaints against the Bristol Myers Squibb Company, makers and distributors of the psychiatric medication Abilify.

With this action, she joins Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) No. 2434, a consolidation of several similar Abilify lawsuits.

According to the legal documentation of this new Abilify gambling addiction lawsuit, Amy C. took Abilify for a two-year period between 2012 and 2014 while a resident and citizen of California.

In the narrative of the Abilify gambling addiction lawsuit, Amy C. states that she experienced an excess of compulsive behaviors, apparently outside of her control, while taking the prescription medication.

Among the behaviors listed was compulsive gambling. As a result of these drives, she has been burdened with significant economic loss, physical injury and harm, mental and physical pain and suffering, and no longer has the same capacity for enjoying her life. She also has been laden with medical bills.

The History of Abilify

Abilify was approved to market in the United States in the fall of 2002 and is known as an atypical antipsychotic medication. Ten years later, in November 2012, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) decided to demand that Bristol Myers Squibb make changes to their labeling warning of the propensity of the drug to induce behaviors such as compulsive gambling.

Three years after the change was made to the European labeling of Abilify, Canada too was at odds with the defendants after numerous reports of adverse reactions including gambling behaviors in those not previously inclined, hyper-sexuality, and suicidal ideation. The Canadian drug oversight agency also required a label change.

But it was not until January 2016 that the U.S. label was changed to mention anything regarding compulsive gambling. The lack of a prior warning is part of the theory behind Amy’s Abilify gambling addiction lawsuit.

Amy is bringing the following counts among all counts listed in the master long form complaint of the original MDL:

Count One –Strict Liability; Count Two –Breach of Express Warranty; Count Three –Breach of Implied Warranty; Count Four –Negligence; Count Five –Negligence Per Se; Count Six –Negligent Misrepresentation; Count Seven –Violation of Consumer Protections Laws in the State of California; Count Eight –Fraudulent Concealment; and Count Ten –Punitive Damages.

Amy is asking for a trial by jury in this Abilify gambling addiction lawsuit. She hopes for a compensatory award that reimburses her for all expenses related to the cost of litigation including court and attorney’s fees and incidental expenses.

She also hopes for damages that account for her mental, emotional, and financial distress secondary to the ingestion of Abilify. Finally, she hopes for pre-judgment and post-judgment interest to be added to her award.

The Abilify Gambling Addiction Lawsuit is Case No. 3:17-cv-00685-MCR-GRJ in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, Pensacola Division. It is part of MDL 2734, In re: Abilify (Aripiprazole) Products Liability Litigation.