Risperdal Gynecomastia Lawsuit Headed for New Trial After Pennsylvania Superior Court Overturns Defense Verdict, Bernstein Liebhard LLP Reports

NEW YORK, Nov. 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A Plaintiff who claims to have developed gynecomastia due to his use of Risperdal will get a new trial, after a three-judge panel of the Pennsylvania Superior Court reversed the only verdict favoring Johnson & Johnson to come out of the mass tort program currently underway in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. (Superior Court of Pennsylvania case 2451 EDA 2015)

The case concluded in March 2015, with the jury finding that Johnson & Johnson and its Janssen Pharmaceuticals subsidiary had failed to properly warn patients and doctors that Risperdal may cause excessive male breast growth. However, jurors were unable to conclude that Risperdal had actually caused the Plaintiff's gynecomastia, thus denying him financial damages.

In a unanimous decision issued on November 13^th, the Superior Court panel found that the trial court had wrongly allowed a physician's assistant (who had treated the Plaintiff) to testify as an expert witness, and ordered a new trial limited to issues of causation and damages.

"Our Firm is handling numerous Risperdal lawsuits involving gynecomastia, and we are pleased that the appeals panel saw fit to grant this Plaintiff a new trial. We will continue to monitor other Risperdal claims around the country for any developments that could impact our clients' cases," said Sandy A. Liebhard, a partner at Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationwide law firm representing the victims of defective drugs and medical devices. The Firm continues to provide free legal reviews to men and boys who were diagnosed with gynecomastia allegedly related to their use of Risperdal.

Risperdal and Male Breast Growth

More than 6,000 Risperdal lawsuits have been centralized in the Philadelphia mass tort program. The majority of these claims involve gynecomastia, a condition marked by the excessive and permanent growth of breast tissue in men and boys. Breast development associated with gynecomastia may also be accompanied by breast pain and tenderness, as well as nipple discharge, and even signs of lactation. Severe cases may require patients to undergo surgical interventions, including liposuction and mastectomy.

Plaintiffs pursuing Risperdal gynecomastia claims allege that the drug can cause the pituitary gland to produce excessive amounts of prolactin, a hormone that is tied to female breast development. They also accuse Johnson & Johnson and Janssen of concealing data linking Risperdal to excessive male breast development and allege that the drug makers failed to provide patients and doctors with adequate warnings of this risk.

Plaintiffs further point out that the Risperdal label was updated in October 2006 to state that 2.3% of male adolescents treated with the drug had developed gynecomastia. Previously, the prescribing information had characterized the condition as a rare side effect that had been seen in fewer than 1 in 1,000 patients.

The Pennsylvania Risperdal litigation has been trying gynecomastia cases since February 2015, with four juries awarding plaintiffs damages ranging from $500,000 to $70 million. The defendants have been granted summary judgment in a few other cases, while a number have settled just before trial.

Bernstein Liebhard LLP continues to provide free legal reviews to alleged victims of Risperdal and gynecomastia. To learn more about filing a Risperdal lawsuit, please contact Bernstein Liebhard LLP by visiting the Firm's website, or by calling 800-511-5092.

About Bernstein Liebhard LLP
Bernstein Liebhard LLP is a New York-based law firm exclusively representing injured persons in complex individual and class action lawsuits nationwide since 1993. As a national law firm, Bernstein Liebhard LLP possesses all the legal and financial resources required to successfully challenge billion dollar pharmaceutical and medical device companies. As a result, our attorneys and legal staff have been able to recover more than $3.5 billion on behalf of our clients. Bernstein Liebhard LLP is honored to once again be named to The National Law Journal's "Plaintiffs' Hot List," recognizing the top plaintiffs firms in the country. This year's nomination marks the thirteenth year the firm has been named to this prestigious annual list.

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ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. © 2017 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, 800-511-5092. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

Contact Information: 
Sandy A. Liebhard, Esq. 
Bernstein Liebhard LLP 
info (at)consumerinjurylawyers(dot)com
http://www.rxinjuryhelp.com/  
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SOURCE Bernstein Liebhard LLP

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