Risperdal and Gynecomastia
What is Risperdal and how is it related to Gynecomastia?
Risperdal is an antipsycotic drug that is primarily used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It was also used to treat ADHD in children. Unfortunately many of these young men who were treated with this drug also developed Gynecomastia. Gynecomastia is basicaly the development of breast tissue.
This page has much information about the legal issues that are now involved with this drug. Hundreds of young men have filed claims and lawsuits because they developed Gynecomastia.
So What is Gynecomastia?
Gynecomastia in male breast enlargement. This is caused by hormone imbalance. It is not fat that grows but actual breast tissue.
What are the causes?
There are several connected causes.
- Hormone imbalance. This is probaly the most common. It is also the one that is related to Risperdal. Risperdal may throw off the hormone balace in the body thus causing the breast enlargement.
- Alcohol abuse
- Drug use. There are a few studies showing that some drug use may lead to this.
- Kidney problems
What are the Symptoms?
- Enlarged breasts caused by increased breast tissue
- Tenderness in the breast or areola area
- Enlarged areola
- Discharge from the nipples
How do You Treat it?
In many cases this can resolve on its own without surgery. But surgery is an option especially if the tissue growth is large.
Can it Be Reversed with Surgery?
Yes, there are many successful examples of reducing gynecomastia with surgery.
Does it Only Happen in Men?
By definition, gynecomastia is only found in men.
Find out if you or your child has a Risperdal claim:
Risperdal Lawsuit Information
Where are the cases filed?
Most of the cases are filed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There were around 1250 filed at last count.
How much time do I have to file?
Every case has a time limit. The time limits for cases that involve children are much longer. This time limit is called a Statute of Limitation. If you do miss the time limit then you can be forever prevented from filing a case, so it is something to pay attention too. They way to find out how much time you have left is to talk with a lawyer who review the specific facts and law involved with your case. That is the only way to get a concrete answer that will apply to you.
Is this a class action?
No. It is very hard to have a class action that covers all claims when it involves personal injury. If it were a class action, then there would be one trial for ALL claims. That is almost impossible to do because each person has a different claim. They might be different ages or have different injuries. It would be very difficult for a jury to fairly decide a lawsuit with such varying injuries. So that is why each case stands on its own and is an individual claim.
As a parent, do I file the case for my child?
Yes, generally the parent acting with their attorney will file a case on behalf of their child. The child is too young, according to most state laws, to file a case, so a parent does it for them. If the case settles the settlement is also put into a trust for the benefit of the child. This trust is also often managed by the parent or parents as a trustee.
$2.5 Million Verdict
In one of the first trial verdicts against Johnson & Johnson on this exact issue, the jury awarded $2.5 Million in compensatory damages to a family where a child had developed large breasts after taking Risperdal.
This verdict was obtained by lawyers on our team.
Find out if you or your child has a Risperdal claim:
(800) 838-0800
Settlements
Have any Cases Settled?
Settlements are almost always confidential. While there may be a few settlements in individual cases, there are many more cases still pending that have not settled.
Will my Case Settle?
There is no way to know if your case will settle. Most cases like this do ultimately settle, but there always are a few that will not. Often what can happen is that several cases will go to trial and those trials will start to establish the jury value of the cases. If that happens enough the company may want to try to settle some cases.
How Long would that take?
Typically cases take several years to work their way through the legal system and get to a point where they might settle of they might go to a trial.
