LAWSUITS NEWS & LEGAL INFORMATION

Risperdal Lawsuits FAQ

What are common Risperdal side effects?

Side effects include nausea, dizziness, anxiety, low blood pressure, insomnia, muscle pain and stiffness, sedation, weight gain, tremors, sexual dysfunction, male breast growth, and sometimes lactation in both males and females.

Who is prescribed Risperdal?

Risperdal (generic version: risperidone) is prescribed to adults and adolescents with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The atypical antipsychotic medication is also approved (as of 2006) to treat autistic disorder in children who are 5-16 years of age.

Risperdal has also been prescribed off-label - meaning the drug was not FDA-approved for that use - to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In 2007, Risperdal was prescribed to 389,000 teens and children to treat ADHD, many of whom were under the age of 12.

What Risperdal side effects are attorneys investigating?

Attorneys are accepting Risperdal injury claims involving serious side effects including Risperdal gynecomastia (male breast growth). Young men and boys may be eligible to file a Risperdal lawsuit if they developed gynecomastia while taking Risperdal, and required surgery, such as liposuction or mastectomy, to remove excess breast tissue.

Attorneys are also investigating tardive dyskinesia (TD), neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), strokes, heart attack and even death. Since 1999, Risperdal has also been linked to diabetes.

I took Risperidone, the generic version of Risperdal. Can I file a claim?

Not at this time. The Supreme Court has ruled that generic drugmakers may not be sued under state failure-to-warn laws for adverse reaction allegedly tied to their products.

Can I file a Risperdal lawsuit on behalf of my teenage son?

Yes. A parent or guardian can file a lawsuit on behalf of their minor child over alleged, serious Risperdal adverse reactions.

Who will I be suing if I file a Risperdal lawsuit?

Risperdal lawsuits are filed against Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., and its parent company, Johnson & Johnson.

Have any Risperdal lawsuits reached a settlement?

Most Risperdal lawsuits filed involve individual lawsuits (not class actions) against the manufacturer. As of October 2012, Janssen and J&J began settling lawsuits that were part of a consolidated litigation pending in Pennsylvania State Court in Philadelphia.

In November 2013, Johnson & Johnson agreed to pay $2.2 billion in civil and criminal fines to settle claims it improperly marketed Risperdal, including the elderly with dementia.

What are Risperdal manufacturers accused of?

Dozens of lawsuits filed nationwide accuse the manufacturers of concealing Risperdal Gynecomastia side effects.

Have Risperdal makers been accused of inappropriate off-label marketing or false advertising?

Yes. Federal and state lawsuits were filed against Johnson & Johnson regarding illegal marketing of its drug. The drug giant was accused of deceptive marketing practices and paying kickbacks to doctors for prescribing the drug off-label. In 2010, a judge ordered a $258 million settlement.

Have individual lawsuits been settled?

Yes. In 2011, J&J agreed to a $158 million settlement in a Texas Risperdal lawsuit before the verdict was reached.

In April 2012, an Arkansas Risperdal lawsuit accusing the maker of violating state laws governing Medicaid fraud and deceptive trade practices, which resulted in a judgement of $1.1 billion. However in March 2014, J&J won a reversal because Arkansas had relied on the wrong law to sue, using a law covering healthcare facilities rather than drug companies. Johnson & Johnson has been ordered to pay $1.19 billion for violating Arkansas’ Medicaid fraud law, or $5,000 for each of nearly 238,900 violations, plus $11.4 million for violating the deceptive trade law.

Lawsuits are pending in Pennsylvania and West Viriginia. As of February 2012, it was estimated that more than 400 people had filed a Risperdal lawsuit seeking compensation for medical costs, pain and suffering, and lost wages.

However, in the first personal injury Risperdal lawsuit, the court ruled that the plaintiff did not have sufficient proof that the drug was responsible for his development of diabetes.

How much time do I have to file a Risperdal lawsuit?

States differ in their statute of limitations. Attorneys advise men who have suffered serious Risperdal side effects or their families to inquire about Risperdal lawsuit time limits sooner than later.