In current Risperdal litigation update news, Risperdal patients continue to come forward, seeking compensation for the many severe injuries they allegedly suffered from the drug.

Risperdal is an anti-psychotic drug that was approved by the FDA in 1993 to treat schizophrenia.

Later, manufacturer Johnson & Johnson obtained authorization to market Risperdal as a bipolar disorder treatment.

Prior to 2006, however, the drug was not approved to treat children for any purpose.

In that year the FDA authorized Risperdal as a treatment for symptoms relating to autism.

Risperdal Litigation Update

Hundreds of Risperdal lawsuits have been filed charging that boys and young men who took the drug developed the abnormal breast growth condition known as gynecomastia.

Risperdal litigation update news notes that many of these cases are being handled as part of a consolidated proceeding in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.

And so far, a handful of these cases have been settled, according to Risperdal litigation update news.

In the first Risperdal gynecomastia lawsuit to go to trial, plaintiff Aron B. claimed the drug caused him to develop male breasts.

He was prescribed Risperdal at age nine even though it wasn’t approved for use by children at the time.

Aron alleges he grew breasts large enough to require surgery to remove them. He also alleges he experienced rapid weight gain and suffered injury to his endocrine system. In addition to his physical injuries, Aron claimed Risperdal caused him psychological trauma.

In September 2012, Johnson & Johnson agreed to settle Aron’s Risperdal lawsuit on the first day of trial in a Philadelphia court. The terms of the settlement were not revealed.

The second Risperdal trial settled later the same month after a week of trial testimony.

The same day, Johnson & Johnson announced settlements in four more Risperdal gynecomastia lawsuits. The settlement amounts for each of these cases were also kept confidential.

Johnson & Johnson did not admit wrongdoing under any of the settlement agreements and continues to deny liability for Risperdal injuries, per Risperdal litigation update sources.

J&J Settles Risperdal Lawsuit With Government

Individual Risperdal lawsuits filed by gynecomastia sufferers are not the only cases Johnson & Johnson has settled.

According to Risperdal litigation update news, the drug makers also agreed to a criminal and civil settlement with U.S. government

After a nine-year investigation, in Nov. 2013 Johnson & Johnson and Janssen agreed to pay $2.2 billion to settle with the U.S. Department of Justice in a wide-ranging Risperdal lawsuit.

The settlement involved criminal penalties of $485 million, as well as civil penalties totaling $1.72 billion, and was among the largest healthcare fraud recoveries in U.S. history.

Filing a Risperdal Lawsuit

Filing a Risperdal lawsuit does not guarantee that you will obtain a settlement or win a trial verdict.

However, based on the Risperdal litigation update news, it appears that Johnson & Johnson may be motivated to settle claims in order to avoid trial verdicts or reveal more information about its marketing practices involving Risperdal.

If Risperdal has injured you or your loved one, you may be able to obtain an award through a settlement or trial verdict.

A qualified Risperdal attorney can help explain the legal process, provide pertinent Risperdal litigation update information, and advise you on your options for holding Risperdal makers accountable.