Risperdal Attorneys

Risperdal is in a class of medications called atypical antipsychotics which are used to treat symptoms of schizophrenia that may include hearing voices, seeing things, sensing things that are not there, mistaken beliefs or unusual suspiciousness. Risperdal may be used alone or with lithium or divalproex for short-term treatment of mixed or manic episodes in adults who have a condition called Bipolar I disorder. Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that causes extreme mood swings.

In April 2005, the FDA issued an alert stating that older patients treated with Risperdal for dementia had a higher chance for death than patients who did not take the medicine. The FDA stated further that this is not an approved use and has asked the companies that make these medicines to change their labels to include this important information.

Risperdal and other antipsychotic medications can cause serious problems such as:

- Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) is a life-threatening nervous system problem, which can cause high fever, stiff muscles, sweating, fast or irregular heart beat, change in blood pressure, and confusion. NMS can also affect your kidneys and is a medical emergency.
- Tardive Dyskinesia (TD), a movement problem.
- High blood sugar and diabetes.
- Strokes and Death have occurred in older patients treated for mental illness from dementia.

It is true that all medications have side effects, but a manufacturer has a responsibility to make its products as reasonably safe as possible. They must inform the medical community and the public of known risks associated with its drugs. If they fail to do these things, they can be held legally responsible if patients are injured as the result of inadequate warnings or the unreasonably dangerous nature of the drug.

If you or a loved one has experienced any serious side effects while taking Risperdal, you should contact our service today. We can help you get in touch with experienced Risperdal attorneys to discuss your options and to protect your right to a legal remedy for any injuries caused by Risperdal use.