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Judge Halves Jury’s $1B Punitive Damages Award in J&J Hip Implant Case.
The suit filed on behalf of six plaintiffs against DePuy Orthopaedics and its parent company Johnson & Johnson alleged that the company hid flaws in its Pinnacle artificial hips that caused the devices to fail prematurely, leaving patients facing surgeries and pain.
Jurors started deliberations in the 10-week trial at around 4 p.m.
Wednesday and delivered the verdict at around 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
U.S. District judge Ed Kincaid, a Baylor graduate, presided over the case.
The suit is the third over the product to go to trial.
The trial of the first suit, which sought $500 million, ended in a defense victory.
In the trial of the second suit, five plaintiffs won a $502 million judgement.
Waco lawyer Zollie Steakley with the Harrison Davis Steakley Morrison law firm was part of a team that won that award.
He also contributed in the trial that ended Thursday.
About 8,000 other similar cases against Johnson & Johnson are pending.
The company likely will appeal as it said it would do after the second trial.
DePuy spokeswoman Mindy Tinsley said in a statement after the second trial in March that the company “acted appropriately and responsibly in the design and testing” of the devices.
“The product is backed by a strong record of safety and effectiveness in reducing pain and restoring mobility for patients,” she said in an emailed statement.
Agencies/Canadajournal
