Xarelto Lawsuits: Uncontrollable Bleeding & Wrongful Death

Hundreds of complaints have already been filed across the United States against the manufacturers of Xarelto alleging that the drug caused uncontrollable bleeding which lead to serious injury or even death. Hundreds more are expected to be filed given the formation of a federal multidistrict litigation (MDL) group in Louisiana, and a mass tort group in the state courts of Pennsylvania to specifically administer claims from individuals and families that make similar allegations against Bayer AG and Johnson & Johnson.

How Many Xarelto Uncontrollable Bleeding Lawsuits Exist?

As of May 2015, there have been 400 lawsuits transferred to the MDL in Louisiana and approximately 100 lawsuits filed in Philadelphia, PA. However, there is expected to be thousands more out there when one looks at the incidence of internal bleeding events as suggested by the studies and the number of prescriptions and prevalence of Xarelto in the market.

Xarelto By The Numbers: Sales And Prescriptions

You will likely have seen the heavy promotion of Xarelto on television, with Xarelto commercials that include famous golf players, and race car drivers. The complaints filed alleging that Xarelto caused internal bleeding injuries and death highlight the promotional techniques and market share captured by Xarelto.

In the first quarter of 2012 alone, Xarelto had issued 130,000 prescriptions in the United States. Xarelto also had reported sales of over 219 million euros in the EU. According to the EvaluatePharma in its World Preview, Xarelto will be the 19th best selling drug in the world and will generate 3.7 billion US Dollars in sales by 2018, which is up greatly from $596 million in 2012.

Xarelto is also a relatively expensive blood thinner when compared to Warfarin. A year’s supply of Xarelto costs $3,000 versus only $200 for the generic Warfarin.

Studies And Reports Linking Xarelto To Adverse Internal Bleeding Events

On April 24, 2014, the British Medical Journal published the results of a study which suggested that the risk of internal bleeding, and specifically a gastrointestinal bleed may double for patients who take Xarelto (Rivaroxaban) versus the generic version Warfarin. In the study, approximately 50,000 patients were evaluated. 1,649 took Xarelto and researchers stated that: “we cannot rule out a more than twofold higher risk of bleeding with [Xarleto] compared with Warfarin”.

Another study performed by doctors from the Erasmus MC University Medical Center in Rotterdamn, The Netherlands performed a subgroup analysis on the risk of GI (gastrointestinal) bleeds comparing the new form of blood thinner which included Pradaxa and Xarelto versus the standard care versions such as Warfarin. As to Xarelto, the researchers found that there was a 1.49 times increase in the risk of internal bleeding versus Warfarin. The researchers in this study assessed many blood thinners and lamented the fact that the Xa inhibitor class, including Xarelto, lacked an antidote.

On January 16, 2015 a new study was released by Baylor College of Medicine which was funded by Bayer Healthcare and Janssen. The study was published in the Clinical Cardiology. The study claimed that the risk of serious bleeding was consistent with those from the clinical study used to approve Xarelto. Namely, the study assessed 27,467 patients who were taking Xarelto (Rivaroxaban) from January 2013 to March 2014. It reported that 478 patients suffered a major bleed event, and 14 patients died from such internal bleeding.

What Are The Grounds For A Xarelto Lawsuit?

The majority of lawsuits filed by plaintiffs to date all allege similar allegations against Xarelto. Namely, the drug was prescribed to prevent blood clots and due to the nature of how Xarelto operates subsequently lead to an uncontrollable bleeding event which caused serious injury and/or death.

The lawsuits filed make the following allegations as the basis for their Xarelto lawsuits:

• Xarelto manufacturers failed to warn about the risks of Xarelto, specifically the irreversible uncontrollable bleeding that may occur in some patients
• Xarelto contained a design defect in that it did not safely provide an anti coagulation solution, but instead posed greater risks to patients of internal bleeding due to no reversal agent
• Xarelto fraudulently concealed knowledge of irreversible life threatening events and how doctors should intervene and stabilize patients
• Xarelto manufacturers were negligent in placing the drug into the marketing knowing there was no antidote
• Xarelto manufacturers made a negligent misrepresentation in marketing Xarelto as a safe blood thinner
• Xarelto did not provide benefits greater than products that already existed in the marketplace in a safer manner such as Warfarin

Below will be an updated feed of information on each Xarelto lawsuit filed, with a summary of the allegations, injuries and demands of the parties.

What Is A Xarelto Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

Unfortunately, due to the severe injuries caused by serious internal bleeding, many patients who took Xarelto and suffered such a bleed often die. As a result, the estate and family of the deceased may have a right to bring a Xarelto wrongful death lawsuit against the manufacturers of the drug.

To date, there have been several such Xarelto wrongful death lawsuits. A wrongful death lawsuit is a claim brought by the immediate spouse/family of the decedent that seeks compensation for:

• medical expenses that were incurred to treat the deceased
• funeral and burial expenses
• loss of earnings and financial support while the decedent was treating, and of course future losses due to death

If you lost a loved one due to an internal bleeding event that you believe was caused by Xarelto, then call our Xarelto lawyers today. We understand the emotions you will be going through. We know you have medical, funeral, and economic losses to deal with along with emotional strain and grief of loving a loved one. We can advise you as to your rights and whether you can bring a Xarelto wrongful death lawsuit against the manufacturers.

What Is The Statute Of Limitations For Xarelto Lawsuits?

The statute of limitations is a defense that may be raised by defendants in a Xarelto lawsuit. The statute requires that a claim must be brought within a specific time frame of when the event occurred or should have been discovered. The statute of limitations will vary from state to state, so there is no one rule that applies to all cases. Below is an example of the statute as it applies to specific states:

1. Pennsylvania Defective Products Statute Of Limitations:
        – an action must be brought within 2 years from the date of injury
2. New Jersey Defective Products Statute Of Limitations:
        – an action must be brought within 2 years from the date of injury
3. California Defective Products Statute Of Limitations:
        – an action must be brought within 2 years from the date of injury
4. New York Defective Products Statute Of Limitations:
        – an action must be brought within 3 years from the date of injury
5. District Of Columbia (D.C.) Defective Products Statute Of Limitations:
        – an action must be brought within 3 years from the date of injury

If you have questions about the statute of limitations as it relates to a potential Xarelto lawsuit, then call our lawyers today. We will assess your specific circumstances and determine whether the statute of limitations will be a problem or not. It is important to speak with an experienced defective products attorney about your potential case as soon as possible to avoid being barred from filing a lawsuit by the statute of limitations.

How Much Can I Get For A Xarelto Lawsuit Settlement?

To date, there has not been a Xarelto lawsuit settlement. In fact, trials have not yet begun. Since these cases are being filed as individual personal injury lawsuits, it is impossible at this point to determine how much a xarelto lawsuit will settle for. Circumstances can vary greatly from case to case.

Each lawsuit will contain economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages involve treatment costs, medical expenses, long-term/future care, funeral/burial expenses, loss of earnings, and loss of future income claims. Non-economic damages will involve the pain and suffering for the injuries, and/or the pain and suffering for the loss of consortium/companionship. Our lawyers work with experienced experts and actuaries to determine the economic and non-economic damages for each case.

However, in May 2014 a blood thinner similar to Xarelto, settled cases that were similar in nature to the current Xarelto litigation. In that settlement, Boehringer Ingelheim settled 4,000 lawsuits against its blood thinner Pradaxa for $650 million dollars. It remains to be seen how the Xarelto litigation will conclude, however we will be following and reporting on any settlement as soon as information becomes available.

Why Should I File A Xarelto Lawsuit?

Depending on the injury suffered from internal bleeding, you are likely facing increasing medical expenses, loss of earnings, and if you lost a loved one you will have had to bear funeral, burial and future loss of income expenses. These losses could have been avoided had you or your loved one known about the irreversible bleeding risks associated with Xarelto. While no amount of financial compensation can bring back the loss of a loved one or return you to a prior position, it will allow you to recover without financial stress.

Call our experienced Xarelto lawyers today. We will guide you through the process and represent your best interests.