Find a Risperdal Lawyer for Santa Rosa Claims

Thursday November 21, 2024

Our attorneys are providing free consultations to Santa Rosa victims of risperidone side effects. Call (888) 849-5117 or use our brief online form to speak with an attorney about your potential Risperdal lawsuit.

Risperidone, known under the brand name Risperdal, is an atypical antipsychotic medication. This powerful drug is FDA-approved to treat the symptoms of schizophrenia, manic and mixed episodes in patients with bipolar disorder, and behavioral problems in teenagers and children with autism.

Medical studies have shown, however, that Risperdal poses a heightened risk of gynecomastia when prescribed to adolescents in Santa Rosa and other markets where the drug is sold. Gynecomastia is the growth of abnormally large breasts in males. Gynecomastia breast growth is distinct from the development of excess fat tissue. Rather, the condition is marked by an increase in the level of the hormone prolactin in the blood, which may result in significant development of breast tissue. Risperdal users have reported breast growth that is extreme, develops unevenly, and in some cases requires surgical intervention such as mastectomy or liposuction.

Risperidone Lawsuits Allege Illegal Marketing

The Risperdal lawyers at our firm understand the difficulties gynecomastia can cause for young men and boys already confronting schizophrenia, autism, bipolar or other disorders. We are investigating claims that the drug's manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson, illegally promoted Risperdal to Santa Rosa physicians for use in this vulnerable patient population.

While a doctor may prescribe medication in any manner the doctor deems appropriate, a drug manufacturer can only market a drug for the specific uses approved by the FDA. The FDA did not approve Risperdal for any use in children until 2006. Evidence indicates, however, that the manufacturer may have promoted the drug for young patients in Santa Rosa and elsewhere well before that time.

In fact, the company's marketing and sales activities have already been the subject of consumer fraud lawsuits initiated by various states and the federal government. The manufacturer has lost cases in Louisiana for $258 million, South Carolina for $327 million, and Arkansas for $1.2 billion. The company also settled a lawsuit in Texas for $158 million, while reaching an agreement with 36 other states and the District of Columbia for a total of $181 million. A separate settlement agreement between Johnson & Johnson and the federal government has been reached in the reported amount of $2.2 billion.

Santa Rosa Risperdal Lawsuits Moving Forward

The Risperdal related settlements discussed above do not involve claims by individual victims such as those in Santa Rosa for gynecomastia and other side effects. Rather, such claimants are represented by Risperdal law firms such as ours in their own lawsuits for personal injuries.

Readers should note that any risperidone lawsuit arising in Santa Rosa would not be part of a Risperdal class action lawsuit, since no such class action has been established. Instead, each plaintiff pursues an individual case in the appropriate state or federal court, and claims are ultimately compensated according to the plaintiff's unique injuries and legal damages.

The Risperdal lawyers at our firm believe individual lawsuits allow for a more thorough and accurate means of compensation for our Santa Rosa clients than a Risperdal class action lawsuit could achieve. Attorneys are standing by to evaluate claims at (888) 849-5117 or through our online form.

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