Jury Awards $4.1 Million in Nation's First Metabolife Trial

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--After three days of deliberation, a federal jury returned a $4.1 million award to the four plaintiffs involved in the first Metabolife products liability case to go to trial. McClain, et al., v. Metabolife International, Inc., CV-01-BU-1801-S (N.D. Ala.).

The plaintiffs, Annie McClain, Shirley Franks, Connie Thornburg and William Hudson each suffered adverse events as a result of using Metabolife 356, an ephedra-based dietary supplement and argued in their suit that the product was defective and sold in an unreasonably dangerous condition under the Alabama Extended Manufacturer's Liability Doctrine.

McClain, Franks and Thornburg each suffered strokes, while Hudson suffered …