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A Houston jury found Johnson & Johnson responsible for the death of a Texas woman who died after a patch containing pain-killing drugs leaked, delivering a lethal dose.

Michaelynn Thompson, 42, wore the Duragesic patch to manage pain from injuries sustained after a car accident. She died while wearing the patch in 2004.

The Duragesic patch, one of Johnson & Johnson''s best selling drugs, releases the opiate fentnyl through the skin. Introduced in 1990, the patch has been linked to at least 120 deaths.

According to researchers, fentanyl can cause addiction and death in certain patients. Last July, the company added a warning to the patch''s label, advising doctors not to prescribe it to patients who might be prone to addiction or who cannot tolerate similar medications.

The lawsuit, filed by the victim''s family, alleged that Thompson died when her system was flooded with fentanyl because of a leak in the patch. Medical reports showed that she had 10 times the therapeutic dose of the drug in her body when she died.

During the trial, the family argued that the defective product was the result of hasty production in the face of the company''s expiring patent protection.

After seven hours of deliberation, the jury decided that the defective product caused Thompson''s death and ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay her family $772,500 in damages.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is currently investigating the other 120 deaths tied to the Duragesic patches.

If you or a loved one has suffered injury as a result of using this product, you may wish to seek the early counsel of a qualified attorney who can help you determine your options.

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