Risperdal Lawsuit: En Banc Hearing Denied: Pa. Superior Court

Risperdal Lawsuit: En Banc Hearing Denied: Pa. Superior Court

Introduction

Defendants named in the Risperdal lawsuit, Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals, had filed a motion early March requesting a rehearing before the entire Pennsylvania Superior Court for reconsideration of a related January 2018 ruling. On March 16, 2018, the Pennsylvania Superior Court turned down this request.

As per the January 2018 court decision, the court allowed the plaintiff involved in the lawsuit to pursue punitive damages; this decision came after a three-judge panel found that the trial court should have considered the law of plaintiffs’ home states when considering whether or not punitive damages should be allowed. Anticipating thousands of plaintiffs seeking similar awards, the defendants filed a motion to oppose the decision.