An Arkansas Xarelto injury lawsuit filed by the family of a deceased woman blames an irreversible brain hemorrhage associated with the blood thinner for her death. The woman, a nursing home resident, fell and injured her head. She was given first aid and her doctor was called next morning, as her condition worsened. The resident died following a massive cerebral bleeding. She was treated with Xarelto, a blood thinner known to cause internal bleeding and without a known antidote.
The Arkansas Xarelto attorney fighting for the plaintiff claims that doctors could not prevent bleeding effects of the anticoagulant for the lack of any reliable reversal agent. Bayer and Johnson & Johnson are facing product liability claim for marketing a dangerous drug with irremediable side effects. The case is a warning for one in every six nursing home residents and millions other taking anticoagulants. Introduction of new-generation blood thinners, such as Pradaxa and Xarelto, without antidotes put them at the increased risk of uncontrolled gastrointestinal, brain, and stomach bleeding and strokes.
The following are important developments to know for anyone considering filing a Xarelto injury lawsuit in Arkansas.
Xarelto Not Safer, Warn Researchers
A recent report citing a French research paper concludes that Xarelto is not superior to warfarin. Published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, it says that the new anticoagulant holds similar “short-term risk of bleeding and arterial thromboembolic events in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients” as the old blood thinner warfarin. However, it is the lack of antidote that makes Xarelto bleeding side effects more fatal.
According to the Journal for the American Medical Association, Xarelto is too dangerous for kidney patients. It quoted combined guidelines of “the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons” to highlight how new anticoagulants are hazardous for end-stage chronic kidney patients.
Xarelto Lawsuits on the Rise
The second quarter report of Bayer published in July 2015 admits of defending against 1,200 Xarelto bleeding lawsuits. The drug maker faces at least six class actions in Canada. This count excludes about many claims filed against Bayer and Johnson & Johnson in the last one month. Eastern Louisiana federal Judge Eldon Fallon is designated for consolidation of all Xarelto injury lawsuits under the federal MDL provision.
On August 3, four litigations representing 198 claimants joined the MDL claiming wrongful death and injuries attributed to bleeding side effects of the drug.
Statistics Against Xarelto
A study has revealed that 73 percent of persons suffered from side effects during the testing of Xarelto. Reports indicate that “the Einstein studies, the Record studies, and the Rocket AF study” highlighted uncontrolled bleeding risk during the trail phase. But the information was not disclosed to the public and the anticoagulant was promoted as safe.
At least 400 deaths and 3,500 hospitalizations involving Xarelto have been reported since it was approved in 2011. With a surge in prescriptions, the reports of adverse events are on the rise. The drug was responsible for 72 deaths and 896 hemorrhage reports in Germany in 2013. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices included it among the 10 most-frequent side effect reported drugs in 2014.
According to a Milwaukee Journal investigative report, Pradaxa, Xarelto, and Eliquis – three new-generation blood thinners – accounted for 8,000 deaths and 58,000 bleeding injuries in the last four years compared to 700 deaths and 8,000 injures linked to warfarin.
Three-fourths of all Xarelto bleeding reports cite intracerebral hemorrhage, claims the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The FDA has also warned of blood clots in patients who stop taking the drug abruptly.
Past History of Drug Makers Questionable
The past history of Xarelto makers Bayer and Janssen, a Johnson & Johnson unit, indicates how their defective drugs and suppression of information caused injuries to thousands of users. Janssen settled hundreds of Risperdal lawsuits for $2 billion after plaintiffs accused it of putting profits before people. Bayer is facing over 4,000 Mirena contraceptive injury lawsuits for suppressing safety information. It had settled 9,900 Yasmin and Yaz lawsuits while another 4,000 are awaiting trial. These incidents indicate how both companies give primacy to commercial profit over user safety and suppress data about drug side effects.
Trial Date Set for Aug 2016
The first Xarelto injury lawsuit seeking product liability was filed in January 2014. Within 18 months, over 1,400 claims have been made and a mass tort has also been established. The first bellwether is set for August 1, 2016. It will be followed three more trials on August 22, September 12, and October 17. While the first two will be presided by MDL Judge Eldon Fallon of Eastern district of Louisiana, the other two are slated to be held in Texas and Mississippi federal courts.
If you have a potential Xarelto injury lawsuit in Arkansas (or elsewhere) related to the blood thinner side effects and arising out of “negligence, concealing of information, misrepresentation, and false advertisement by the manufacturer”, please contact us or call on 1-800-632-1404 for a free consultation with our Xarelto attorney.