(December 17, 2015, 8:44 AM EST) -- ALAMEDA, Calif. — A California state court jury recently returned compensatory and punitive damages verdicts totaling $79.8 million against Ethicon Endo-Surgery Inc. for a plaintiff who was injured when a surgical stapler allegedly misfired and resulted in additional surgery and complications, according to press releases by the plaintiffs’ law firm (Florence Kuhlmann, et al. v. Johnson & Johnson, et al., No. 13675753, Calif. Super., Alameda Co.).

In Dec. 11 and Dec. 15 press releases, Alexander Law Group of San Jose said that that in the compensatory...