Risperdal

Attorneys Assisting Individuals Injured by Defective Pharmaceuticals

Risperdal, manufactured by Johnson & Johnson, is a powerful antipsychotic primarily prescribed for schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Recently, however, the manufacturer encouraged doctors to prescribe Risperdal for ADHD in children. Since ADHD is such a common diagnosis, this resulted in hundreds of thousands of prescriptions for a treatment for which Risperdal was never approved by the FDA. Our Risperdal lawyers know that it has been linked to gynecomastia, a condition in which young boys may grow breasts, produce milk, and experience delayed sexual development. Moreover, research shows that when children and teenagers are prescribed this drug, they face three times the risk for developing Type 2 diabetes within a year. If your child has suffered serious harm due to the use of Risperdal or another dangerous drug, you may want to contact a product liability lawyer. Moll Law Group has represented consumers nationwide and billions of dollars have been recovered in cases in which we were involved.

Establishing Responsibility for Harm Caused by Risperdal

The manufacturer of Risperdal agreed to pay over $2.2 billion in fines to settle a years-long government investigation into allegations of illegal promotion of this pharmaceutical. Parents of boys who have developed gynecomastia or Type 2 diabetes after being prescribed Risperdal for ADHD or another non-psychotic condition may have grounds to bring a product liability lawsuit. The strongest basis for a claim may be Johnson & Johnson's failure to warn about a male child's risk of developing breasts and other marketing defects.

A manufacturer can be held strictly liable for a failure to warn. To prove strict liability for a failure to warn regarding Risperdal, a plaintiff must establish with the assistance of a Risperdal lawyer that:

• The defendant is the manufacturer or another party in the chain of distribution;
• Risperdal had potential risks that were known or knowable in view of the scientific and medical knowledge accepted in the scientific community at the time of the drug’s manufacturing, distribution, or sale;
• Gynecomastia posed a substantial danger when the product was used in a reasonably foreseeable way;
• Ordinary consumers would not recognize the potential risk of gynecomastia;
• The defendant failed to warn of this risk;
• The child was harmed; and
• The lack of warning was a substantial factor in causing the gynecomastia.

The warnings related to gynecomastia should have been given to prescribing doctors. Johnson & Johnson and other companies have a continuing duty to warn physicians as long as their drugs are being used.

A plaintiff who successfully establishes a failure to warn claim may be able to recover compensatory damages. Young men who develop breasts and other symptoms of gyneocomastia or Type 2 diabetes may require surgery, ongoing medical care, and counseling. Noneconomic damages that may be available include compensation for the embarrassment, shame, and pain associated with a young male developing breasts.

Discuss Your Product Liability Case with an Experienced Risperdal Attorney

If your child developed gynecomastia or Type 2 diabetes due to a Risperdal prescription, the product liability attorneys at Moll Law Group are available to advise you on recovering compensation for your injuries. We represent injured consumers in states around the nation, including California, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Call us at 312-462-1700 or complete our online form to schedule a free consultation with a Risperdal attorney.