NAMM v. CHARLES E. FROSST & CO.


178 N.J. Super. 19 (1981)

427 A.2d 1121

GAIL NAMM AND PAUL NAMM, HER HUSBAND, PLAINTIFFS-APPELLANTS, v. CHARLES E. FROSST AND CO., INC., LAKESIDE LABS, A DIVISION OF COLGATE PALMOLIVE CO., AYERST MCKENNA AND HARRISON LTD., S.P. DURST AND CO. INC., METROPOLITAN LABS, INC., A DIVISION OF MICHIGAN CHEMICAL CORP., DRUG PRODUCTS COMPANY, HARROWER LABS INC., WINTHROP PRODUCTS, A DIVISION OF STERLING DRUG INC., SCHIEFFELIN CO., DIFCO LABS INC., KREMERS-URBAN CO., BUFFINGTONS INC., RAYMER PHARMACAL CO., LEDERLE LABS, A DIVISION OF AMERICAN CYNAMID CO., PRO-MEDICO LABS INC., PITMAN-MOORE CO., A DIVISION OF DOW CHEMICAL CO., ZIEGLER PHARMACAL CO., J.F. HARTZ AND CO., UNITED DRUG CO., ADSON-IN-TRASOL LABS INC., PHYSICIANS DRUG AND SUPPLY CO., SHORES CO., VANPATTEN PHARM CO., BROAD RESEARCH LABS INC., WILLIAM F. STRAUB AND CO., MUTUAL PHARMACAL CO., C.B. KENDALL CO., A DIVISION OF WESTERFIELD PHARM CO., DIRECT SALES CO., INC., HOOSIER PHARMACAL CO., PURITY DRUG CO., INC., GLAXO RESEARCH LTD./ENGLAND HORTON AND CONVERSE, FIDELITY MED SUPPLY CO., HIGH CHEMICAL CO., A DIVISION OF DAY AND FRICK, INC., VERAX PRODS INC., BEATRICE SCIENTIFIC CO., SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO WESTFIELD LABORATORIES, INC., AND GRANT CHEMICAL CO., DEFENDANTS, AND ELI LILLY & COMPANY, DURR-FILLAUER MEDICAL, INC., ABBOTT LABS, AYERST LABS INC., A DIVISION OF AMERICAN HOME PRODUCTS CORP., E.R. SQUIBB AND SONS INC., A DIVISION OF OLIN MATHISON CHEMICAL CORP., MERCK SHARP AND BOHME, A DIVISION OF MERCK AND CO., INC., ARMOUR LABS, A DIVISION OF ARMOUR PHARM. CO., WINTHROP CHEMICAL CO., UPJOHN COMPANY, MERRELL-NATIONAL LABS, A DIVISION OF RICHARDSON-MERRELL INC., BURROUGHS WELLCOME AND CO., INC., SMITH MILLER AND PATCH INC., ENDO PRODUCTS INC., CROOKES LABS INC., WILLIAM H. RORER INC., CARROLL D. SMITH PHARMACAL CO., A DIVISION OF SMITH MILLER AND PATCH INC., COLE PHARMACAL CO., MCNEIL LABS INC., HARVEY LABS INC., PENNWALT CORPORATION, SUCCESSOR TO R.J. STRASENBURGH, INC., IMPROPERLY DESIGNATED AS R.J. STRASENBURGH LABS, A DIVISION OF WALLACE AND TIERNAN, INC., E.S. MILLER LABS INC., A DIVISION OF SMITH MILLER AND PATCH INC., PREMO PHARM LABS INC., BLUE LINE CHEMICAL CO., FLINT-EATON AND CO., A DIVISION OF BAXTER LABS INC., E.L. PATIH CO., VAN PELT AND BROWN INC., S.B. PENICK AND CO., CIBA PHARM PRODUCTS INC., A DIVISION OF CIBA PHARM CO., MALTBIE LABS, INC., IMPROPERLY DESIGNATED AS MALTBIE LABS, A DIVISION OF PENNWALT CORP., VALE CHEMICAL CO., INC., G.H. SHERMAN MD, INC., G.W. CARNRICK CO., WILLIAM WARNER, A DIVISION OF WARNER HUDNUT INC., S.E. MASSENGILL CO., GELATIN PRODS CO., WALLACE AND TIERNAN PRODS INC., U.S. STANDARD PRODS CO., BOYLE AND CO., AND REXALL DRUG CO., DEFENDANTS-RESPONDENTS.

Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division.

Decided February 5, 1981.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Morris M. Schnitzer argued the cause for appellants (Freeman, Friedman, Mantel, Wilson & Carney, attorneys; Morris M. Schnitzer on the brief).

John L. McGoldrick argued the cause for respondent Eli Lilly and Company (McCarter & English, attorneys; John L. McGoldrick, on the brief).

Stryker, Tams & Dill, attorneys for defendants-respondents, Durr-Fillauer Medical, Inc., improperly designated "Intra Products Division of Durr Products," Premo Pharmaceutical Laboratories, Inc. (David L. Menzel on the letter brief).

Carpenter, Bennett & Morrissey, attorneys for defendant-respondent Endo Laboratories, Inc. (John P. Dwyer, of counsel; Linda B. Celauro on the brief).

Riker, Danzig, Scherer, Debevoise & Hyland, attorneys for defendant-respondent Merrell-National Laboratories, a division of Richardson-Merrell Inc. (Peter N. Perretti, Jr., of counsel; Susan Scott on the brief).

Connell, Foley & Geiser, attorneys for defendant-respondent The Blue Line Chemical Co.

Lum, Biunno & Tompkins, attorneys for defendant-respondent Abbott Laboratories.

Porzio & Bromberg, P.C., attorneys for defendants-respondents Ayerst Laboratories, Division of American Home Products Corporation, and McNeil Laboratories, improperly designated "McNeil Labs Inc."

Sills, Beck, Cummis, Radin & Tischman, attorneys for defendant-respondent E.R. Squibb & Sons, Inc.

Shanley & Fisher, attorneys for defendant-respondent Merck Sharp & Dome, a Division of Merck & Co., Inc.

Morgan, Melhuish, Monaghan & Spielvogel, attorneys for defendants-respondents Armour Pharmaceutical Company, improperly designated "Armour Labs, a division of Armour Pharm. Co.", and Ciba-Geigy Corporation, improperly designated "Ciba Pharm Products, Inc."

Purcell, Ries & Shannon, attorneys, for defendant-respondent Winthrop Laboratories, a Division of Sterling Drug, improperly designated "Winthrop Chemical Co." (Eugene M. Purcell on the letter brief).

Lamb, Hutchinson, Chappell, Ryan & Hartung, attorneys for defendant-respondent The Upjohn Company.

Braff, Litvak, Ertag, Wortmann & Harris, attorneys for defendant-respondent Burroughs Wellcome and Co., Inc.

Kuttner & Toner, attorneys for defendants-respondents Carroll D. Smith Pharmacal Company, a Division of Smith, Miller & Patch, E.S. Miller Labs, Inc., a Division of Smith, Miller & Patch, and Smith, Miller & Patch, a Division of Cooper Laboratories, Inc., Crookes Labs, Inc., E.L. Patch Company and Sherman MD, Inc. (Roger L. Toner of counsel).

O'Donnell & McCord, attorneys for defendant-respondent William H. Rorer, Inc.

Haggerty & Donohue, P.C., attorneys for defendants-respondents Cole Pharmacal Co., G.W. Carnick Co. and Vale Chemical Co., Inc.

Lieb, Berlin & Kaplan, P.C., attorneys for defendant-respondent Harvey Laboratories, Inc.

Draesel, Sunshine & Atkins, attorneys for defendant-respondent Pennwalt Corporation, successor to R.J. Strasenburgh, Inc., improperly designated "R.J. Strasenburgh Labs, a Division of Wallace & Tiernan, Inc.", Maltbie Laboratories, Inc., improperly designated "Maltbie Labs, a Division of Pennwalt Corp.", and Wallace & Tiernan Products, Inc.

Feehan & Feehan, attorneys for defendants-respondents Van Pelt and Brown, Inc., William Warner, a division of Warner-Hudnut, Inc. and S.E. Massengill Company.

Wittman, Anzalone, Bernstein & Dunn, attorneys for defendant-respondent S.B. Penick & Co.

Morrison & Griggs, attorneys for defendants-respondents Gelatin Products Company and High Chemical Company.

Harwood, Lloyd, Kelly, Ryan, Coyle & Wulster, attorneys for defendant-respondent Flint-Eaton & Co., a division of Travenol Laboratories, Inc., improperly designated "Flint-Eaton and Co., a division of Baxter Labs Inc."

Pantages, Sellar, Richardson & Stuart, attorneys for defendant-respondent U.S. Standard Products Company (Louis J. Pantages, of counsel; Charles Crow on the brief).

Richard V. Caplan, attorney for defendant-respondent Boyle & Company Pharmaceuticals.

McDermott & McGee, attorneys for defendant-respondent Rexall Drug Company (John P. McGee on the brief).

Before Judges BISCHOFF, FRANCIS and MORTON I. GREENBERG.


The opinion of the court was delivered by BISCHOFF, P.J.A.D.

This is a pharmaceutical products liability case wherein plaintiffs appeal from a summary judgment dismissing their complaint against approximately 44 drug manufacturing and distributing companies. The compliant charges defendants with liability based upon principles of negligence, breach of warranties and strict liability.

Plaintiffs Gail Namm and...

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