Reckis, et al. v. Johnson & Johnson, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-065-15)
NOTICE: All slip opinions and orders are subject to formal revision and are superseded by the advance sheets and bound volumes of the Official Reports. If you find a typographical error or other formal error, please notify the Reporter of Decisions, Supreme Judicial Court, John Adams Courthouse, 1 Pemberton Square, Suite 2500, Boston, MA, 02108-1750; (617) 557-1030; SJCReporter@sjc.state.ma.us SJC-11677 LISA RECKIS & another[1] vs. JOHNSON & JOHNSON & another.[2] Plymouth. December 1, 2014. – April 17, 2015. Present: Gants, C.J., Spina, Cordy, Botsford, Duffly, & Lenk, JJ. Negligence, Pharmaceutical manufacturer, Defective product, Adequacy of warning, Causation, Causing loss of consortium. Consortium. Parent and Child, Consortium. Federal Preemption. Witness, Expert. Evidence, Expert opinion, Qualification of expert witness. Damages, Tort, Future damages, Future earning capacity, Conscious pain and suffering, Loss of consortium. Civil action commenced in the Superior Court Department on January 12, 2007. The case was tried before Christopher J. Muse, J., a motion for remittitur was heard by him, and motions for a new trial and for judgment notwithstanding the verdict were considered by him. The Supreme Judicial Court granted applications for direct appellate review. Joan A. Lukey (Charles C. Lifland, of California, & Justin J. Wolosz with her) for the defendants. Michael B. Bogdanow (Bradley M. Henry, Leo V. Boyle, & Victoria Santoro with him) for the plaintiffs. The following submitted briefs for amici curiae: David C. Spangler, Richard F. Kingham, & Robert A. Long, Jr., of the District of Columbia, & Paul W. Schmidt & Colleen Kelly for Consumer Healthcare Products Association. Lisa Blue Baron, Andre M. Mura, & Jeffrey R. White, of the District of Columbia, & Anthony Tarricone for American Association for Justice. Hugh F. Young, Jr., of Virginia, & David R. Geiger & Catherine C. Deneke for Product Liability Advisory Council, Inc. Martin Healy, Charles Alagero, Jeffrey N. Catalano, & Maria Davis for Massachusetts Bar Association & another. Charlotte E. Glinka, Elizabeth N. Mulvey, Thomas R. Murphy, & Jeffrey S. Beeler for Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys. Martha Coakley, Attorney General, & Eric Gold, Assistant Attorney General, for the Attorney General. BOTSFORD, J. Samantha T. Reckis was seven years old in late 2003, when she developed toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), a rare but life-threatening skin disorder, after receiving multiple doses of Children’s Motrin. Children’s Motrin is an over-the-counter (OTC) medication with ibuprofen as its active ingredient, and is manufactured and sold by the defendants McNeil-PPC, Inc. (doing business as McNeil Consumer & Specialty Pharmaceuticals [McNeil]), and its parent company, Johnson & Johnson. The plaintiffs, Lisa and Richard Reckis, and their child, Samantha,[3] claim that Samantha developed TEN as […]