A judge announced compensatory damages Thursday in a case linking three companies to a Hepatitis C outbreak.LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -
A jury on Monday awarded $162.5 million in punitive damages to the victims in the second civil trial of three drug companies found liable in the 2007 Hepatitis C outbreak.
Baxter Healthcare Corp., SICOR Inc. and Teva Parenteral Medicines, Inc. were sued by three people who contracted Hepatitis C and two spouses.
Prosecutors claimed the companies purposely sold large containers of an anesthetic to clinics as a means of saving money and in order to improve sales.
Further, they claimed the drug companies did so despite knowing nurses would re-use them.
Following last week's verdict finding the drug companies liable, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs announced about $20 million was awarded to those five individuals.
According to attorney Robert Eglet, Robert Sacks will receive $6 million; Anne Arnold and her husband will receive $10 million and $2.5 million, respectively; and Anthony Devito and his wife will receive $5 million and $1.5 million, respectively.
The plaintiffs had been seeking as much as $600 million in punitive damages.
At least one company plans to appeal the decision.
Copyright FOX5 2011. All rights reserved.
