Vegas’s Jackpot Verdict of the Century Appealed

The defendants, who last year came out on the the losing side of an obscene and insane half-billion dollar jackpot verdict in Clark County, Nevada (currently ranked as the #6 Judicial Hellhole) have appealed their case to the Nevada Supreme Court.

Pharmaceutical firm Teva, former maker of the anesthetic propofol, and its drug distributor codefendant were left holding the bag when the criminally indicted and bankrupt owner of an endoscopy clinic settled with the husband-and-wife plaintiffs out of court.  Alleged hygenic corner-cutting at the clinic resulted in a number of patients, including the plaintiff husband, contracting Hepatitis C.  Vials of propofol, bearing FDA-approved labels that warned against use beyond a single patient, were used on multiple patients, according to clinic staff.  But the innocent drug maker and distributor were found liable anyway, thanks to the reportedly biased rulings of the trial judge.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal offers a useful recap, and Forbes.com provides interesting analysis of this classic case of deep-pocket-seeking plaintiffs lawyers.  The state high court heard arguments March 7.  With several additonal Hep C trials yet to begin, Judicial Hellholes readers eagerly await its decision.