LAS VEGAS (AP) — A third Nevada jury has found pharmaceutical companies liable and awarded $14 million to a couple in a lawsuit stemming from a Las Vegas hepatitis C outbreak.
The Clark County District Court jury awarded compensatory damages Monday to Michael Washington and his wife, Josephine Washington in their case against Teva Parenteral Medicines Inc. and Baxter Healthcare Corp. The jury began considering punitive damages Tuesday.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports (http://bit.ly/qZy8qV) the verdict was announced at the same time another jury awarded $162.5 million in punitive damages to five plaintiffs in a separate lawsuit against Teva, Baxter and McKesson Corp.
Plaintiffs’ lawyers allege the size of vials of the powerful anesthetic propofol led to patient infections during outpatient colonoscopies.
Teva and Baxter also were found liable in a similar case last year.
