Hobbsr: Xarelto Injuries or Fatalities: Can You Sue?

Friday, May 6, 2016

Xarelto Injuries or Fatalities: Can You Sue?

If you were prescribed the anticoagulant, or blood thinner, Xarelto and were injured as a result, you are not alone. If you choose to sue the drug manufacturer, you will also not be the first. Last month, an estate administrator was the latest to file a complaint against Janssen Pharmaceuticals and a slew of other entities in federal court in Louisiana on behalf of a deceased woman who allegedly died from complications associated with the drug.

According to the complaint, Opal Perkins was prescribed the drug to reduce the risk of pulmonary embolisms and died from a blood transfusion necessitated by gastrointestinal bleeding caused by Xarelto. Now her estate is suing the manufacturers, reports The Louisiana Record, arguing that they negligently or fraudulently represented their product to the medical community.

Failure to Warn and More

According to the complaint filed by the Perkins estate, the injuries and damages sustained by the decedent were caused by the defendants’ drug. Perkins was prescribed Xarelto for about a year-and-a-half, but over a year into treatment with the drug she started bleeding internally. Ultimately, she died from a blood transfusion, which the estate says was necessitated by the issues and injuries Xarelto caused.

The complaint states that the blood thinner has been insufficiently tested and explored. The plaintiffs argue that Xarelto failed to properly investigate, research, study, and fully define the drug’s safety profile, failed to provide adequate warnings, instructions, and dose adjustments, and failed to explain to medical professionals that there is no effective agent to reverse the effects of Xarelto.

The company responded to the complaint in a statement, saying, “Xarelto is an important anticoagulant used to treat and reduce the risk of life-threatening blood clots. After more than three years on the US market, and more than 3 million patients prescribed in the US to date, the benefit-risk profile of Xarelto remains favorable and consistent with clinical trials.”

Janssen representatives stated that the company will defend against the claims in the litigation. It also reminded patients that they should not discontinue their use of Xarelto without speaking to a physician first.

Injured?

If you have been taking the anticoagulant Xarelto and were injured as a result of using the blood thinner, meet with a lawyer immediately. Do not delay. Many personal injury attorneys consult for free or a minimal fee and will be happy to assess your case.

Related Resources: