Have You Suffered Side Effects After Taking Risperdal? 

If you’ve suffered the embarrassing symptoms associated with gynecomastia or galactorrhea after taking Risperdal, consider joining the group of men seeking compensation in the form of:

• Medical Costs – such as hospital and doctor bills, pharmaceutical and medicine bills, medical monitoring, and physical therapy involved in undergoing surgery to fix gynecomastia injuries;
• Loss of Income – if your injury resulted in your inability to work or lose income; and
• Pain and Suffering – if you suffered any type of pain, anguish, or loss of enjoyment resulting from your injuries.

There may be other types of damages available to you depending upon the facts and circumstances of your individual situation. Let an experienced Risperdal injury attorney evaluate your situation.

What Other Specific Injuries Result from Taking Risperdal?

Aside from gynecomastia, other specific injuries that have been linked to Risperdal include:

• Galactorrhea (excessive or inappropriate production of milk in both males and females)
• Tardive Dyskinesia (abnormal movement of face, shoulders, arms, and legs)
• Akathesia (restlessness)
• Akinesia (inability to move or muscle rigidity)
• Parkinson’s-like tremor
• Torticolis (stiffening of the tongue, which may cause difficulty breathing)
• Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS)
• Pancreatitis
• Suicide
• Irregular heart rhythm, heart attack, cardiac complications
• Pituitary tumors
• Bone loss (demineralization)
• High blood sugar, diabetes (hypoglycemia)

All of these potentially serious and deadly side effects have resulted in the filing of hundreds of lawsuits against J&J and Janssen Pharmaceuticals.           

What Is Risperdal?

Risperdal, manufactured by Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, is an antipsychotic medication generally used to treat symptoms of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

Risperdal is considered an “atypical” antipsychotic because it targets both dopamine and serotonin receptors. It has been used “off-label” for the treatment of attention deficit disorder (ADHD), schizoaffective disorder, anxiety, sleep disorders, and depressive disorders. 

Although Risperdal has been on the market for over 20 years, it wasn’t until 2007 that the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) granted approval for children to use it. Children between the ages of 13 and 17 were permitted to take Risperdal to treat schizophrenia and children between the ages of 10 and 17 could take it to treat bipolar disorder.

Why Is Risperdal Dangerous?

Risperdal can cause gynecomastia – the enlargement or development of breast tissue in males – due to the drug’s stimulation of prolactin, a hormone common in women who are pregnant or nursing.

Gynecomastia can cause adolescent males to grow breasts and experience puffy or enlarged nipples, painful breasts, and nipple discharge. This can cause young boys to suffer significant physical changes – which are usually permanent and require costly and painful surgery by a reconstructive surgeon to remove.

It can also result in extreme emotional trauma. It’s heartbreaking to imagine the shame and embarrassment young boys suffering from this side effect must feel – especially when it could have been avoided altogether.

What Do Risperdal Lawsuits Allege?

Risperdal lawsuits allege that J&J and Janssen Pharmaceuticals knew, or should have known, about the increased risks of gynecomastia in young males – but failed to properly provide warning. Studies published by Duke University, The Wall Street Journal, and others show that there is an increased risk of gynecomastia in adolescent boys who take Risperdal.

There have also been numerous allegations from government agencies and Risperdal injury victims that the companies improperly marketed the drug and deceptively tried to minimize its side effects.

The result? These manufacturers have paid over $5 billion in damages and fines to plaintiffs and state and local government agencies, including a:

• $70M Jury Award. In July of 2016, a Philadelphia jury found the manufacturers liable for failing to warn of Risperdal side effects and awarded $70 million to a Tennessee male teenager.
• $2.2B DOJ Settlement. In 2013, J&J and Janssen Pharmaceuticals settled allegations with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) that the companies illegally marketed Risperdal to patients for whom the medication was not intended.
• $11M Jury Award / $1.2B Fine. In 2012, an Arkansas jury determined that the manufacturers hid the risks of gynecomastia from those taking the drug. The verdict stated that the manufacturer was to pay $11 million for 4,500 violations of Arkansas’ deceptive practice laws and $1.2 billion for 240,000 violations of the state’s Medicaid fraud law.

Sadly, the above are only the latest; the list goes on and on….

How Can A Risperdal Injury Attorney Help You?

Manufacturers who fail to warn consumers about serious side effects must be held liable for their actions for two reasons: 1) to make you whole again, and 2) to make sure that this type of behavior stops.

If you’ve suffered from gynecomastia after taking Risperdal, it’s important to understand that YOU HAVE RIGHTS. Let the experienced attorneys at the Citizens Law Firm:

• Help you understand your rights;
• Fight for those rights on your behalf; and
• Obtain the compensation you deserve – whether that means going to trial or settling.

Call us today at (844) LAW‐CALL or complete our simple Free Case Evaluation form and we’ll call you. Don’t lose out on your right to compensation!