SCOTUS Ruling Increases Risperdal Suits in PA

Risperdal litigation in Philadelphia courts have increased significantly this year and the trend is likely to continue. Mass torts against Janssen, a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, over it’s antipsychotic drug Risperdal has nearly tripled in Pennsylvania. Plaintiff attorneys say the biggest cause for the recent influx is the expiration of a tolling agreement between Janssen […]

The Chamber: ‘One More Bullet in J&J’s Gun’

In ‘For Plaintiffs Bar, Taking on J&J Means Battling a Shadow Foe,’ Law.com’s Amanda Bronstad reports on the “intimate relationship” between Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (the Chamber). The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is not a government entity, but a powerful group of lobbyists, the largest in the nation. Plaintiff’s lawyers point out […]

Jury Awards $500,000 in Risperdal Trial

A Philadelphia jury awarded $500,000 in compensatory damages to a young man who claimed he grew female-like breasts after taking the antipsychotic drug Risperdal. The jury deliberated six hours before finding the manufacturers of Risperdal, Janssen Pharmaceuticals (a division of Johnson & Johnson), failed to warn health care providers and patients of a condition called […]

$1.75 Million Jury Verdict

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 11, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — A Philadelphia jury has awarded $1.75 million to a young man who claimed his taking the antipsychotic drug Risperdal caused him to grow female-like breasts. After only two-and-a-half hours of deliberation following a two week trial, the jury found that Risperdal, manufactured by Janssen Pharmaceuticals (a division of Johnson & Johnson), failed to warn health […]

STEPHEN SHELLER LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Stephen Sheller was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award Wednesday, May 20 2015 from American Lawyer Media’s daily newspaper, The Legal Intelligencer. The award was based on his record of verdicts and settlements, service to clients, dedication to the practice, and support of legal education.     The Legal Intelligencer, May 20, 2015: “Stephen A. Sheller […]

In The Philadelphia Inquirer: Sheller $2.2 Billion J&J Pharma Settlement

J&J to pay $2.2B for Improper Promotion of Risperdal BY DAVID SELL WASHINGTON – Health-care giant Johnson & Johnson agreed Monday to plead guilty to a criminal misdemeanor charge and pay $2.2 billion to settle allegations that it illegally promoted the use of its antipsychotic drugs for unapproved uses, including for children and the elderly. […]

J&J Loses Trial Over Risperdal and Male Breast

The Wall Street Journal Pharmalot Blog 2015-02-24 In a setback to Johnson & Johnson, a Philadelphia jury decided the health care giant must pay $2.5 million in damages for failing to warn that its Risperdal antipsychotic could cause gynecomastia, which is abnormal development of breasts in males. The lawsuit was brought by the family of […]

Legal Intelligencer Quotes Sheller on Risperdal Suit Filings

The Legal Intelligencer 2014-01-15 Individual suit filings related to the antipsychotic drug Risperdal have been increasing in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, First Judicial District leaders say. The uptick has been steady since actions against Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiaries began four years ago, according to the court officials. “We have a group […]

Sheller in Bloomberg Business on Whistleblowers and J&J $2.2B Settlement

Bloomberg Business Week 2013-12-09 Judy Doetterl was a sales representative for Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) in 2004 when federal agents placed a hidden recording device on her and sent her to tape marketing presentations at a national company sales meeting. U.S. prosecutors wanted to prove claims by Doetterl and others that J&J boosted sales by urging doctors to prescribe […]