Judge Slashes Damages in J&J Risperdal Case to $6.8 Million from $8 Billion
January 17 2020 - 3:58PM
Dow Jones News
By Peter Loftus
A Philadelphia judge has reduced the amount of punitive damages
Johnson & Johnson must pay in a lawsuit over its antipsychotic
Risperdal to $6.8 million from the $8 billion awarded by a jury in
October.
The decision stems from a jury's decision to award $8 billion in
such damages to a Maryland man who said his use of Risperdal as a
child caused enlarged breasts and said J&J failed to properly
warn of this risk.
J&J had asked for the amount of punitive damages to be
reduced, arguing they were excessive and disproportionate to the
$680,000 in compensatory damages awarded to the man, Nicholas
Murray, in the case.
J&J said in a statement the judge "appropriately reduced the
excessive punitive damages award," but it will continue to pursue
an appeal of the verdict. J&J said it appropriately outlined
the benefits and risks of Risperdal.
Thomas Kline, an attorney for Mr. Murray, said the judge's
reduction "wipes out a valid award of a jury" and fails to punish
corporate misconduct. Mr. Kline said he plans to appeal the
reduction and seek to reinstate the $8 billion award.
The $8 billion verdict had been the biggest to among lawsuits by
about 13,000 plaintiffs alleging that Risperdal caused a condition
called gynecomastia in boys, which involves enlargement of breast
tissue. The lawsuits generally claim that J&J was aware of the
risk of this side effect, but understated the risk to doctors.
J&J has denied the claims.
Write to Peter Loftus at peter.loftus@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
January 17, 2020 15:43 ET (20:43 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2020 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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