The jury in a case we discussed earlier in the week has found that the defendant, Ethicon, a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson, is liable for punitive damages and awarded the plaintiff, Ms. Linda Gross, an additional $7.76 million. The jury is sending a strong message to the manufacturers of these products that patients are not test subjects and the practice of misleading patients into thinking unsafe products are safe will not be tolerated.

Ms. Gross’s case is the second large verdict regarding the Pelvic Prolapse Kit. California jury awarded an injured woman $5.5 million for damages caused by the C.R. Bard Avaulta product.