New York Jury Slaps Drug Maker with $10 Million Punitive Damage Award
On November 2nd, a jury in the Central Islip courtroom of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York awarded over ten million dollars to a woman who suffered serious personal injury at the hands of a dangerously defective drug. Barbara Davids suffered osteonecrosis (bone death) in the jaw after taking Zometa, a drug prescribed to cancer patients to treat bone complications that can occur from certain types of cancer. The jury in Davids v. Novartis awarded Ms. Davids $450,000 in compensatory damages, and then awarded an additional $10 million in punitive damages.
Zometa is a type of drug known as a bisphosphonate. Another bisphosphonate drug you may have heard about is the osteoporosis medication Fosamax. This drug has also been linked to osteonecrosis of the jaw and has been the subject of much litigation.
Taking on the pharmaceutical giants is a daunting task, since medical questions can be highly technical. The drug companies may have voluminous data and financial resources on their side, making it hard to discover the truth behind a drug’s dangers. Obtaining expert witnesses is often critical to the success of the case, and opposing parties often spend a great deal of time litigating the qualifications of the other party’s expert before any testimony may be used. These motions are commonly referred to as Daubert motions, after an important case on the qualifications of expert witnesses. Click here to see the court’s April 19 decision on seven separate Daubert motions as well as motion by the defense to dismiss the plaintiff’s case before a trial could be had.
If you were taking Zometa, Fosamax, or any other prescription medication, including Actos, Reglan or Yaz, and believe you have suffered adverse reactions or complications, contact New York defective drugs attorney Leandros A. Vrionedes, P.C. for a free consultation.
Summary:
On November 2nd, a jury in the Central Islip courtroom of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York awarded over ten million dollars to a woman who suffered serious personal injury at the hands of a dangerously defective drug. Barbara Davids suffered osteonecrosis (bone death) in the jaw after taking Zometa, a drug prescribed to cancer patients to treat bone complications that can occur from certain types of cancer.
Zometa is a type of drug known as a bisphosphonate.
