Please be advised that O’Connor, Acciani & Levy are no longer accepting cases for Risperdal.
If your teenage son developed breasts while taking the antipsychotic drug Risperdal, you may be able to file a Risperdal lawsuit to pursue compensation for physical, financial and emotional damages. This includes medical expenses, pain and suffering, and emotional trauma your child experienced from developing enlarged breasts, a condition called gynecomastia. The defective drug attorneys at O'Connor, Acciani & Levy can review your potential Risperdal lawsuit in a free, no obligation legal consultation. If you have a viable case and decide to move forward, we will provide our services on contingency. This means there is no fee for our services unless we recover fair compensation. Our reputable Cincinnati Risperdal lawyers have represented numerous individuals who were harmed by dangerous drugs that manufacturers failed to warn consumers about. We have the resources to conduct a detailed investigation to help build a strong case and attempt to hold the manufacturer responsible for the damages you and your loved one have experienced.USES AND SIDE EFFECTS OF RISPERDAL
The antipsychotic medication Risperdal was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1994 for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults. In 2006, the FDA approved Risperdal for use in children diagnosed with autism. It is also prescribed to treat bipolar disorder and dementia. Unfortunately, the drug has been linked to a condition called gynecomastia, which occurs when boys develop enlarged breast tissue. Common symptoms of gynecomastia include:- Swelling of the breasts
- Tender breast tissue
- Discharge from nipples
STUDIES ON THE RISK OF GYNECOMASTIA
Numerous studies have shown an increased risk of gynecomastia in children who take Risperdone, which is sold under the brand name Risperdal. In 2006, the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology published a study concluding that Risperdone can lead to a strong increase in prolactin levels when administered at doses commonly used to treat psychotic symptoms. Prolactin is a hormone that promotes the development of breasts. A few years later, another study found that adolescents who took Risperdone had persistently elevated levels of prolactin for periods of up to two years. This study was published in the Journal of Child Adolescent Psychopharmacology in Aug. 2009. In 2015, the Journal of Child Adolescent Psychopharmacology published another study that found the risk of gynecomastia was five times higher in boys who took Risperdone than in boys who did not take this medication. Despite this research and the thousands of Risperdal lawsuits claiming the drug causes gynecomastia, manufacturer Johnson & Johnson has still not updated drug warning labels to inform consumers of the risks. Johnson & Johnson could be held liable for your child's gynecomastia because it failed to adequately warn consumers about the increased risk of developing this condition.RISPERDAL LAWSUITS AND SETTLEMENTS
Thousands of people have filed lawsuits alleging Johnson & Johnson knew the risks of gynecomastia and failed to warn Risperdal users about them. As of April 2017, more than 5,500 Risperdal lawsuits have been filed in Philadelphia. While many Risperdal cases are still pending, some have resulted in significant settlements for victims who have suffered gynecomastia. For example, in 2015, a Philadelphia jury ruled in favor of an Alabama man with autism who developed size 46DD breasts after taking Risperdal. The man was awarded $2.5 million in damages. Later that same year, a 21-year-old man won a $1.75 million verdict against Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. The victim claimed that the company did not adequately warn him that there was a risk of developing breasts while taking Risperdal. In July 2016, a Philadelphia jury awarded $70 million to the family of a boy with autism who developed breasts after taking Risperdal. The jury ruled that Janssen Pharmaceuticals did not warn the victim's health care providers about the risk of gynecomastia. The jury also found that the company intentionally falsified, destroyed or concealed evidence. Johnson & Johnson has also faced civil and criminal fines for promoting the use of Risperdal in older adults, children and those with developmental disabilities despite the health risks. In 2013, the pharmaceutical giant was ordered to pay $2.2 billion in fines, which was the third-largest pharmaceutical settlement in U.S. history at the time. As part of the settlement, Johnson & Johnson also pled guilty to a criminal misdemeanor for marketing the drug for uses that had not been approved by the FDA. Our Cincinnati attorneys are here to review your potential Risperdal lawsuit and advise you if you have a viable case.TYPES OF COMPENSATION FROM A RISPERDAL LAWSUIT
If your child suffered gynecomastia after taking Risperdal, it will not be cheap to try to reverse the condition. Your child will likely need expensive medical procedures, like surgeries, liposuction or possibly a mastectomy. If our defective drug lawyers are able to file a Risperdal lawsuit, we may be able to recover compensation for all of the damages caused by your child's injury, including:- Medical procedures
- Transportation to doctor's visits
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Psychiatric counseling
- Physical pain
- Emotional suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life activities, including leisure activities
