The Clifford Straka v. Johnson & Johnson case in US District Court for the State of Minnesota, (No. 08-5742) has ended in a defense verdict. The trial began January 3, 2012 and ended January 26, 2012 when the federal jury came back with a defense verdict.
In 2006 Mr. Straka, 72 years old, was prescribed a ten day course of the antibiotic Levaquin to combat an upper respiratory infection. Eleven days after starting the drug Mr. Straka complained of acute pain in both Achilles tendons. He was diagnosed with ruptures of both Achilles tendons.
Mr. Straka sued Johnson and Johnson alleging that Levaquin caused his tendon ruptures; that Johnson and inadequately warned of the danger of Achilles tendon rupture; that Johnson & Johnson concealed the risk posed by Levaquin; and that the product was inherently dangerous.
The defendants argued that they had warned of the dangers of Levaquin causing tendon ruptures since 1997. They also argued that their drug was no more likely to cause Achilles tendon ruptures than any other floroquinalone type antibiotic.
This verdict marks the third consecutive defense verdict on a Levaquin case following an initial 1.8 million dollar plaintiff’s verdict against Johnson & Johnson.
