Illinois Injury and Mass Tort Lawyer BlogXarelto Blood Thinner Medication Update
Xarelto, a drug commonly used to treat strokes and to prevent blood clots, has come under fire for the severe risks it poses to patients. Although there has not been a recall of the drug, a number of plaintiffs have filed lawsuits alleging that they experienced severe complications as a result of taking Xarelto.
According to the plaintiffs’ complaints, Xarelto caused uncontrollable bleeding to occur. The medication is designed to disrupt blood clotting patterns to prevent strokes from occurring, but it lacks an antidote to prevent any incidences of bleeding from becoming life-threatening. The plaintiffs alleged that the manufacturer did not properly warn against the dangerous risk of bleeding episodes and the inability to stop them once they start.
Instead, the manufacturer advertised Xarelto as being safe and providing a more convenient solution than wafarin, another drug prescribed to combat blood clots and strokes. Unlike Xarelto, however, wafarin has a known antidote that doctors can use to stop bleeding episodes. In reality, Xarelto has been associated with a number of devastating and life-threatening conditions, including gastrointestinal bleeding, brain hemorrhages, strokes, and death.
A dangerous drug lawsuit is a type of product liability case that requires the plaintiff to show that the defendant’s product is unreasonably dangerous, or that the specific unit in question suffers from a manufacturing defect that renders the unit unreasonably dangerous. The plaintiffs must also demonstrate that the defect was the direct cause of the plaintiff’s injuries and provide support evidencing the damages and injuries that the plaintiff suffered.
To date, the makers of Xarelto have not agreed to settle any claims brought against them concerning the drug. To date, however, over 2,000 lawsuits claiming that the drug is defective have been filed, and it is predicted that several more will be commenced in coming years. With lawsuits filed as early as 2014, the first trials concerning Xarelto are expected to commence toward the end of 2016.
A lawsuit regarding an allegedly defective drug involves a substantial amount of discovery, including obtaining documentation about research trials performed for the drug, incident reports, and information indicating whether or not the manufacturer knew that the drug was unreasonably dangerous. If a plaintiff can show that the defendant had knowledge about the drug’s dangerous side effects, the plaintiff may be entitled to obtain punitive damages against the manufacturer. These damages are intended to punish the manufacturer for its malicious, willful, reckless, and wanton conduct while also serving as a deterrent to other manufacturers.
If you or someone you know has suffered injuries as the result of taking Xarelto or another dangerous drug, you may be entitled to compensation. At Moll Law Group, we have helped many victims seek compensation from a drug manufacturer, and we know what it takes to go up against these large companies. We serve clients throughout the United States, including in Illinois, Texas, California, and Florida. Call us at 312-462-1700 or contact us online to set up a free consultation.
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