Federal Court Sends Wrongful Death Pain Patch Case to Trial

CHICAGO - A federal magistrate judge has sent a Duragesic patch case to trial, ruling that issues of fact exist as to whether a woman's death resulted from a defect in the patch and whether that defect was caused by an actual design/manufacturing defect or inadequate warnings. Kunnemann v. Janssen Pharmaceutica Products and Alza Corp., No. 05-C-3211 (N.D. Ill.).

Magistrate Judge Arlander Keys of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois issued the Dec. 2 order.

The court said in its summary that, beginning in 1992, 14-year-old Karin Kunnemann experienced persistent abdominal pain, vomiting, headaches and joint …