Preview Newsletter

Xarelto Media Scan 6/15/15- 6/26/15

Plaintiff Attorney Press Releases

Order Governing Federal Xarelto Lawsuits Allows Electronic Filing of Plaintiff, Defense Fact Sheets
Jun 25, 2015 | Benzinga
By PRWeb

Hundreds of federally-filed Xarelto lawsuits involving the drug's alleged association with uncontrollable internal bleeding and other serious complications continue to move forward in the federal multi-district litigation now underway in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana.
Xarelto Lawsuit Update: New Study Suggests Drug Could Double Risk For Gastrointestinal Bleeding
Jun 23, 2015 | The Legal Examiner
By Marc Goldich

Recent studies have linked the use of Xarelto to dangerous side effects including severe internal bleeding which can lead to injury or death.
June Xarelto Update – Science Day
Jun 23, 2015 | JDSupra Business Advisor
By Brenda Fulmer

Judge Fallon, the federal judge in New Orleans who oversees the MDL coordinated proceedings, held his most recent hearing for all of the pending Xarelto lawsuits on June 10, 2015. At that time, the judge was provided with a status report with regard to a number of recent developments in the discovery efforts, and the judge reviewed the progress in the litigation so far (which has been significant). The next status conference before Judge Fallon for the MDL is scheduled for July 9, 2015.
Xarelto Litigation Update: Legal-Bay Lawsuit Settlement Funding Reports Court Meeting to Identify Potential Plaintiffs for Possible Inclusion in Upcoming Bellwether Trials
Jun 23, 2015 | Sys-con.com
By PR Newswire

Legal-Bay LLC, The Lawsuit Settlement Funding Company, reports today that in the most recent news involving the Xarelto multidistrict litigation (MDL), a court meeting was set to take place June 15th to identify between 40 and 60 plaintiffs for specific discovery and address the timing in the selection of the upcoming bellwether trials.
Thexareltolawsuit.com Offers Free, No Obligation Consultations to People Who Have Suffered Dangerous Xarelto Side Effects or Other Complications
Jun 23, 2015 | Digital Journal
By Release Wire

Thexareltolawsuit.com has been launched recently to offer help to the people coming forward with claims of xarelto bleeding complications. Bernstein Liebhard LLP, which is a nationwide law firm, is offering no obligation case reviews without any charge to people xarelto patients. So those people who have suffered xarelto side effects are interested to pursue a xarelto lawsuit can seek the help of the law firm to find out if they have a legit allegation for compensation.
XareltoInjuryLawsuits.info Charts the Course of Rising Xarelto Lawsuit Numbers as Pretrial Soon to Begin
Jun 22, 2015 | Digital Journal
By Release Wire

Xarelto Injury Lawsuits is offering comprehensive information on the rapidly developing lawsuit over alleged dangers in using Xarelto, with more than four hundred cases currently consolidated.
Filing a Xarelto Lawsuit
Jun 18, 2015 | JonesWard.com
By JonesWardPLC

Xarelto is a blood-thinning drug used to prevent and treat life-threatening blood clots. But did you know that Xarelto might do more harm than good? Several people have suffered severe internal bleeding and hemorrhaging directly caused by this risky drug. Our Xarelto lawyers are now investigating these claims across the country.
Xarelto Lawsuit
Jun 18, 2015 | scinjurylawfirm.com
By The Michael Jeffcoat Firm

Hundreds of Xarelto lawsuits have been filed over allegations that patients taking the popular blood thinner were not sufficiently warned about its internal bleeding risks or lack of reversal agent, with many complaints currently consolidated as part of two litigation processes in Louisiana and Pennsylvania.
Xarelto and the Risk of Bleeding
Jun 17, 2015 | Purdue and Kidd
By Purdue and Kidd

On June 11, 2015, Judge Eldon Fallon of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana held a Science Day to better educate himself and the public about the anticoagulant drug Xarelto. Judge Fallon is overseeing consolidated multi-district litigation (MDL) proceedings for all Xarelto lawsuits filed or removed to United States Federal Court.
Lawsuit Alleges Drug Maker Failed to Disclose Risks of Bleeding With Xarelto
Jun 16, 2015 | American Injury
By American Injury Attorney Group

A lawsuit has been brought against Johnson & Johnson, the maker of the anticoagulant Xarelto, alleging that the company misrepresented the drug and withheld risks of uncontrollable bleeding with Xarelto.
How to Protect Your Recovery After a Xarelto Injury
Jun 16, 2015 | Hupy.com
By Hupy and Abraham S.C

You took Xarelto to help prevent a dangerous blood clot. While Xarelto might have done that, the drug made your blood too thin and caused you to suffer from an uncontrolled bleed for which there was no immediate antidote. You have suffered financially, emotionally, and physically, and now that the immediate danger has passed you may be wondering what you can do to protect your legal recovery.
NEW FINDINGS AGAINST DRUG MAKERS MAY BE DAMNING FOR XARELTO LAWSUIT
Jun 15, 2015 | St. Louis Personal Injury
By Meyerkord & Meyercord

With the looming Xarelto lawsuits against the makers of the drug, the new evidence may prove to be damning for Bayer and Janssen Pharmaceuticals.
Xarelto Death Lawsuit Claims False Advertising
Jun 15, 2015 | AttorneyGroup.com
By American Injury Attorney Group

The wife of a deceased Rhode Island man has filed a lawsuit against Bayer, the maker of Xarelto, an anticoagulant used as a blood thinner to lower the risk of stroke in atrial fibrillation patients. According to the Xarelto death lawsuit, the deceased suffered from severe and irreversible hemorrhaging after taking Xarelto, which ultimately resulted in his death. The widow of the deceased has alleged that the drug maker failed to disclose the risks associated with using Xarelto.

Plaintiff Attorney Blogs

Injury Lawyer News
Jun 25, 2015 |
By Whitney Taylor

Australian regulators are questioning whether regular monitoring would alleviate Xarelto bleeding risks, due to the failure of drug manufacturers to conduct sufficient testing of their products. In addition to rivaroxaban (Xarelto), regulators evaluated risks associated with apixaban (Eliquis) and dabigatran (Pradaxa).
New BMJ Study Suggests Xarelto Use Doubles Gastrointestinal Bleeding Risk
Jun 25, 2015 | The Legal Examiner
By Steven Davis

The popular blood thinner Xarelto may be the leading blood thinner in its class in the U.S., but a recent study published in the British Medical Journal suggests that use of rivaroxaban (the generic name for Xarelto) may double the risk for gastrointestinal bleeding when compared with warfarin (the generic version of Coumadin).
Xarelto MDL Progresses As Court Sets Deadlines
Jun 24, 2015 | Top Class Actions
By Karina Basso

A judge is attempting to resolve some of the outstanding issues in the Xarelto MDL in the Eastern District of Louisiana, where all federal Xarelto lawsuits have been consolidated for pre-trial proceedings.
Bayer Hit with Xarelto Lawsuit Over Bleeding Complications
Jun 22, 2015 | Top Class Actions
By Paul Tassin

The anticoagulant Xarelto has drawn yet another Xarelto lawsuit, this time from two plaintiffs who are suing together.
Filings in Mass Tort Program Increase by 29 Percent in Phila.
Jun 22, 2015 | The Legal Intelligencer
By Max Mitchell

First-quarter filings in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas' mass tort program are up significantly from the previous year and indicate that 2015 will be another active year.
Boehringer says Pradaxa blood-thinning effect shown to be reversible
Jun 22, 2015 | Reuters

Germany's Boehringer said an experimental drug to reverse the blood-thinning effect of its stroke prevention pill Pradaxa was shown to be effective based on initial results of a late-stage study.
Concerns about Anticoagulant Link to Bleeding Event
Jun 18, 2015 | LawyersandSettlment.com
By Heidi Turner

Anticoagulant lawsuits have been filed against the makers of various newer generation anticoagulant makers alleging patients were not warned about the lack of an antidote to the medications.
Xarelto Suit Claims Side Effects Cause Serious Injuries
Jun 17, 2015 | Legal Reader
By Jay Belle Isle

What do a racecar driver, a comedian and a professional golfer have in common? They’re taking Xarelto, or playing Russian roulette, as I like to call it. A new Xarelto suit claims side effects cause serious injuries. Janssen Research & Development has been sued in federal court for failing to warn of the risks.
XARELTO: “ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL”
Jun 17, 2015 | MTMP
By Levin Papantonio

Injury lawsuits, such as the ongoing litigation against Bayer AG and Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen division over the anticoagulant medication Xarelto, are based on what is known as a “cause of action.” In other words, the court wants to know what it was that resulted in the plaintiff’s injury.
Xarelto Bleeding Investigated in ‘Science Day’
Jun 17, 2015 | Top Class Actions
By Meredith Friesen

A judge called for a “science day” at which both sides can present scientific evidence exploring Xarelto bleeding. U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon is presiding over hundreds of Xarelto lawsuits which have been consolidated into a Xarelto MDL. The Xarelto lawsuits claim the blood thinning drug causes uncontrollable internal bleeding side effects which the drug manufacturer failed to warn about.
Xarelto, Pradaxa Monitoring Pointless Because Manufacturers Did Not Adequately Research: Aussie Regulators
Jun 15, 2015 | AboutLawsuits.com
By Irvin Jackson

Foreign regulators are raising questions about whether additional blood monitoring for Xarelto, Pradaxa, Eliquis or other new-generation anticoagulants would make the drugs any safer, since the manufacturers have failed to conduct sufficient research on the controversial medications.

Plaintiff Attorney Press Releases

Order Governing Federal Xarelto Lawsuits Allows Electronic Filing of Plaintiff, Defense Fact Sheets

Jun 25, 2015 | Benzinga

By PRWeb

Hundreds of federally-filed Xarelto lawsuits involving the drug's alleged association with uncontrollable internal bleeding and other serious complications continue to move forward in the federal multidistrict litigation now underway in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana. According to a Pretrial Order dated June 23rd, all of the parties involved in the proceeding have agreed to accept online submission of Plaintiff and Defendant Fact Sheets via the online MDL Centrality System. (In Re: Xarelto Products Liability Litigation, No. 2592)
"Our Firm is representing clients in this proceeding, and we are pleased that these cases are moving forward. The protocols for online submissions set forth in this Order will promote judicial economy and further facilitate the efficient progress of federally-filed Xarelto lawsuits," says Sandy A. Liebhard, a partner at Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationwide law firm representing victims of defective medical devices and drugs. The Firm is actively filing Xarelto lawsuits in U.S. courts, and continues to evaluate claims on behalf of individuals who allegedly suffered life-threatening internal bleeding and other dangerous complications related to its use.
Xarelto Litigation
Court records indicate that more than 550 Xarelto lawsuits are pending in the multidistrict litigation now underway in the Eastern District of Louisiana. All of the claims were filed on behalf of individuals who allegedly suffered dangerous episodes of internal bleeding, strokes, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, or other serious complications due to their use of the blood thinning medication. All of the plaintiffs involved in this litigation accuse the drug's manufacturers of failing to provide adequate warnings regarding its risks, including the fact that their currently exists no approved antidote for reversing the internal bleeding sometimes associated with its use. They also allege that the manufacturers wrongly positioned Xarelto as an improvement over warfarin, a blood thinner that has been in use for decades. Among other things, the lawsuits point out that unlike Xarelto, internal bleeding associated with warfarin can be reversed with the administration of vitamin K.
According to court documents, Xarelto is a new-generation anticoagulant that was approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration in 2011, and is now indicated for the prevention of strokes in people with atrial fibrillation; the treatment of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism; and the prevention of deep vein thrombosis in patients undergoing hip or knee replacement surgery. The Xarelto label includes a black box warning that contains information about the increased risk of blood clot formation after premature discontinuation of the medication in the absence of adequate alternative anticoagulation.*
Individuals who experienced dangerous internal bleeding and other serious complications allegedly related to the use of Xarelto may be entitled to join this litigation. Learn more about filing a Xarelto lawsuit by visiting Bernstein Liebhard LLP's website, or by calling 800-511-5092 to schedule a free, no obligation case review.
About Bernstein Liebhard LLP
Bernstein Liebhard LLP is a New York-based law firm exclusively representing injured persons in complex individual and class action lawsuits nationwide since 1993. As a national law firm, Bernstein Liebhard LLP possesses all of the legal and financial resources required to successfully challenge billion dollar pharmaceutical and medical device companies. As a result, our attorneys and legal staff have been able to recover more than $3 billion on behalf of our clients. The National Law Journal has recognized Bernstein Liebhard for twelve consecutive years as one of the top plaintiffs' firms in the country. Bernstein Liebhard LLP is the only firm in the country to be named to this prestigious list every year since it was first published in 2003.

Return to headline | Return to top
Xarelto Lawsuit Update: New Study Suggests Drug Could Double Risk For Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Jun 23, 2015 | The Legal Examiner

By Marc Goldich

Xarelto is a relatively new prescription blood thinner (also known as anticoagulant) which has had tremendous success in the US market since its initial debut.
The drug was first approved by the FDA in 2011 for reducing the risks of blood clots in patients undergoing knee or hip replacement surgeries.
Since its initial approval Xarelto has received the green light for many other uses including the treatment of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and Pulmonary Embolism (PE).
Alleged benefits along with heavy promotion have helped Xarelto to quickly become the leading blood thinner in its class in the US market.
In fact, the blockbuster drug has been prescribed more than 11 million times in America.
However, recent studies have linked the use of Xarelto to dangerous side effects including severe internal bleeding which can lead to injury or death.
About The New Study
Results from a new study published in the British Medical Journal suggest that the use of Xarelto may double the risk for gastrointestinal bleeding when compared to the generic version of Warfarin.
The study, which consisted of over 45,000 patients, aimed to determine the overall safety of rivaroxaban (the generic version of Xarelto) when compared with warfarin in terms of the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding as a side effect.
In the conclusions of the study researchers stated, “we cannot rule out a more than twofold higher risk of bleeding with rivaroxaban compared with Warfarin.”Xarelto Lawsuits Being Filed By Injured Plaintiffs
Xarelto lawyer Stephen A. Sheller of BloodThinnerHelp.com commented on the study saying, “This is one of several recently published studies which have investigated a link between Xarelto and severe internal bleeding side effects. The results of these studies have prompted individuals and families throughout the country to take legal action by filing claims against the manufacturers of the drug. We are currently helping many families by providing information and assistance in pursuing justice.”
BloodThinnerHelp.com is an online resource center which provides information and news about pending Xarelto litigation. For all media contacts and questions regarding Xarelto lawsuits please call 866-425-8902.

Return to headline | Return to top
June Xarelto Update – Science Day

Jun 23, 2015 | JDSupra Business Advisor

By Brenda Fulmer

Judge Fallon, the federal judge in New Orleans who oversees the MDL coordinated proceedings, held his most recent hearing for all of the pending Xarelto lawsuits on June 10, 2015. At that time, the judge was provided with a status report with regard to a number of recent developments in the discovery efforts, and the judge reviewed the progress in the litigation so far (which has been significant). The next status conference before Judge Fallon for the MDL is scheduled for July 9, 2015.
The judge also held an informal hearing known as “Science Day” on June 11th, where both sides presented information on a number of complex scientific and medical topics that are relevant to the litigation. The topics that were discussed in the presentations and materials previously submitted to the judge by both sides included: atrial fibrillation, coagulation and anticoagulation therapy, changes in coagulation medical treatments over time as newer drugs have become available, FDA-approved indications for use of Xarelto, how Xarelto works, the reasons for prescribing Xarelto to patients, adverse events and injuries that have been associated with Xarelto, clinical trials for approval of the drug, the use of blood test-based dosing for Xarelto, and the pharmacology of Xarelto. These proceedings were handled informally, without a court reporter present, as they were intended to be informational for the judge and not technically part of the litigation process.
There are now more than 558 individual lawsuits filed in the MDL as well as in state court proceedings in Philadelphia on behalf of plaintiffs and the survivors of patients who suffered GI bleeds, intracranial hemorrhages, and other significant bleeding injuries while taking Xarelto. We anticipate that hundreds of additional lawsuits will be filed in the coming months.
The manufacturer of Xarelto will shortly begin producing documents relating to their development and marketing of the drug, as a first step in the discovery phase of the case. There are also pending discovery efforts relating to corporate structure, identifying critical witnesses, the preservation and storage of electronic data, FDA approval process, adverse event reporting, and insurance coverage for injuries caused by Xarelto.
I am honored to have been appointed to co-lead one of the discovery teams that will be reviewing these documents in preparation for depositions of the manufacturers’ employees in the near future. Production of evidence and depositions of third party witnesses who were involved in the conduct of the clinical trials that were used to substantiate the application for FDA approval of Xarelto are scheduled to begin in July of 2015.
As with the litigation over Pradaxa (the first drug in the same class of anticoagulants as Xarelto which resulted in a nationwide settlement last year), the accuracy of data in the clinical trials that were completed prior to the FDA approval of Xarelto is likely to be a critical issue in the Xarelto litigation, as those early scientific studies did not indicate an excessively high rate of bleeding injuries associated with the drug, whereas adverse event reporting after the drug was approved indicated a significantly increased risk of bleeding events after even short-term use of the medications. Undoubtedly, the FDA would have refused to approve Xarelto if those early, pre-approval studies had shown a higher risk of bleeding over alternative anticoagulants like Coumadin, warfarin, and Pradaxa.

Return to headline | Return to top
Xarelto Litigation Update: Legal-Bay Lawsuit Settlement Funding Reports Court Meeting to Identify Potential Plaintiffs for Possible Inclusion in Upcoming Bellwether Trials

Jun 23, 2015 | Sys-con.com

By PR Newswire

Legal-Bay LLC, The Lawsuit Settlement Funding Company, reports today that in the most recent news involving the Xarelto multidistrict litigation (MDL), a court meeting was set to take place June 15th to identify between 40 and 60 plaintiffs for specific discovery and address the timing in the selection of the upcoming bellwether trials. The court released a case management order in May, which addressed several different issues. In the case management order were specific deadlines for pre-trial processes so everything would move forward accordingly. Just a few days prior from the most recent court meeting, they had set aside a "science day" to discuss scientific publications which were relevant to the multidistrict litigation over Xarelto, showing any increased risk of side effects when taking the drug. The federal multidistrict litigation (MDL) is being overseen in the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Louisiana (In Re: Xarelto Products Liability Litigation, No. 2592).
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140714/126845
According to court documents, there are more than 300 lawsuits filed over Xarelto just in the federal litigation in Louisiana, while there are about 160 known cases as of now with similar claims pending in Pennsylvania's mass tort proceeding. The lawsuits against Bayer and Johnson & Johnson's subsidiary, Janssen Pharmaceutical Division, include claims of serious health problems and even death as a result of using the blood thinner, Xarelto, because of uncontrollable bleeding events. According to experts, there is no known antidote at this time. Due to the ongoing MDL, Legal-Bay, a law cash advance company, is reaffirming the fact that they are sufficiently prepared to handle large Xarelto pre-settlement funding requests for those who have experienced complications from using the blood thinner.
Chris Janish, CEO of Legal-Bay, commented on the recent announcement, "We are happy to see that the Xarelto litigation is beginning to move into a bellwether trial posture, as we believe this litigation is shaping up to include a lot of plaintiffs when it is all said and done. However, we still expect the litigation to drag on and take many years to resolve. We strongly urge patients who have not hired counsel to do so quickly."
In order to receive lawsuit funding you must have retained a Xarelto lawyer first. If you need lawsuit money or pre-settlement funding for your Xarelto claim, Legal-Bay is here to help. Legal-Bay is offering pre-settlement and settlement funding for Xarelto cases as well as other blood thinners – such as Pradaxa – and they are also providing free legal consultations for possible plaintiffs who have not yet retained a Xarelto lawyer. To learn more about Xarelto, Pradaxa, and other blood thinner cases, including services in helping you find a Xarelto lawyer or Xarelto law firm, visit: http://lawsuitssettlementfunding.com/pradaxa-settlement-funding.php
Legal-Bay is advising victims who have suffered with complications after using the blood thinner, Xarelto, to seek immediate legal counsel to determine if they may have a potential claim against Bayer and Johnson & Johnson's Janssen Pharmaceutical Division. Legal-Bay's representatives can put you in touch with a Xarelto attorney who will provide you with a free legal consultation and you will never pay a fee unless your case is successful. Legal-Bay also provides funding and lawsuit help services for other drug cases as well as defective product cases. For more information or assistance with finding a qualified Xarelto law firm or Xarelto lawyer, contact Legal-Bay directly at:http://lawsuitssettlementfunding.com/contact-us.php

Return to headline | Return to top
Thexareltolawsuit.com Offers Free, No Obligation Consultations to People Who Have Suffered Dangerous Xarelto Side Effects or Other Complications

Jun 23, 2015 | Digital Journal

By Release Wire

This press release was orginally distributed by ReleaseWire
New York, NY -- (ReleaseWire) -- 06/23/2015 -- Thexareltolawsuit.com has been launched recently to offer help to the people coming forward with claims of xarelto bleeding complications. Bernstein Liebhard LLP, which is a nationwide law firm, is offering no obligation case reviews without any charge to people xarelto patients. So those people who have suffered xarelto side effects are interested to pursue a xarelto lawsuit can seek the help of the law firm to find out if they have a legit allegation for compensation. The attorneys will also explain the complete process for filing xarelto litigation so that individuals will be able to make the best choice for them and their family.

Xarelto is one of the newest blood thinners available on the market which was approved in 2011. It was manufactured by Bayer and was marketed by Janssen in the United States. The most hazardous complications that people who take this medicine experience is uncontrollable bleeding. Xarelto does not have a reversal agent for the side effects. And lawsuits filed by plaintiffs who alleged that they were injured by the blood thinner say that they were not warned sufficiently about the risk of the medication.

It has been reported that the number of allegations involved in xarelto side effects litigation is seen to be increasing. There are a plenty of markers and signs which seem to suggest that xarelto is going to become a caseload juggernaut in the world of litigation. While its manufacturers of the drug denies to the severity of its risks, the thousands of injury reports that has been filed over the drug cannot be ignored.

According to the website, xarelto lawsuits can be filed on behalf of xarelto patients who claim to have suffered from serious complications which include stroke, uncontrollable bleeding, pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis due to the use of this medication.

Return to headline | Return to top
XareltoInjuryLawsuits.info Charts the Course of Rising Xarelto Lawsuit Numbers as Pretrial Soon to Begin

Jun 22, 2015 | Digital Journal

By Release Wire

Xarelto Injury Lawsuits is offering comprehensive information on the rapidly developing lawsuit over alleged dangers in using Xarelto, with more than four hundred cases currently consolidated.
This press release was orginally distributed by ReleaseWire
Beverly Hills, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 06/22/2015 -- Xarelto is a prescription blood thinning drug used for a wide variety of conditions. Perhaps due to its prevalence of use, lawsuits have increased dramatically over the last year. As of December 2015, the Xarelto multidistrict litigation (MDL 2592) cited 33 cases. In May of 2015, indications suggest that this number has reached 434, all consolidated ready to be taken for initial proceedings before a US District Judge, Eldon E. Fallon. With so many lawsuits being raised, other users may be seeking legal help for Xarelto side effects, and The Meldofsky Firm has created a resource center for those searching for a Xarelto lawyer.

The resource center explains that Warfarin and Xarelto are anticoagulants that lower the risk of blood clots, but this can risk hemorrhaging which cannot be controlled without an antidote. Warfarin has an antidote, vitamin K, which can reverse the effects if they reach dangerous levels. Xarelto has no such approved antidote.

The lawsuits filed thus far have been based on the argument that patients were not adequately informed that Xarelto had no antidote, unlike the preceding drug Warfarin, which did. This allegedly means that patients who switched from Warfarin to Xarelto were put at risk of catastrophic and uncontrollable bleeding, resulting in serious injury or even death.

A spokesperson for XareltoInjuryLawsuits.info explained, "Our legal team is documenting the case as it develops to ensure others who may be affected are suitably informed of the proceedings undertaken by people in the same position. Our lawyers are actively pursuing this legal action on behalf of clients to ensure justice is served, and gathering the information together in a resource center allows for clear, independent and insightful information to be shared in a dispassionate manner, so individuals can evaluate their own circumstances and see if legal action is the right recourse. "

About Xarelto Injury Lawsuits Info
Xarelto Injury Lawsuits Info is an online resource center created by The Meldofsky Firm. They are passionate about ensuring that clients both present and potential are furnished with the resources and services they need to seek compensation following an injury or wrongful death.

Return to headline | Return to top
Filing a Xarelto Lawsuit

Jun 18, 2015 | JonesWard.com

By JonesWardPLC

Xarelto is a blood-thinning drug used to prevent and treat life-threatening blood clots. But did you know that Xarelto might do more harm than good? Several people have suffered severe internal bleeding and hemorrhaging directly caused by this risky drug. Our Xarelto lawyers are now investigating these claims across the country.Xarelto Complications
Bayer and Janssen (a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson) failed to warn people of the problems associated with their drug. They also hid certain information that would’ve made their drug look dangerous. This is a deceptive, and illegal, way to do business because Xarelto complications can be serious. Dangerous side effects of this blood-thinning drug include:Internal bleedingBlood clotsEmbolismDeathFiling a Xarelto Lawsuit
Going up against a large company may seem daunting, but it is important to stand up for your rights and hold the manufacturers accountable. Many victims of Xarelto-related bleeding events were not properly warned of the risks and dangers involved. Because of this, thousands of people across the country are filing Xarelto lawsuits for reasons such as:Gaining compensation for medical bills, emotional suffering, lost wages, ongoing care, pain, etc.Holding Bayer & Janssen accountable for their deceptive practicesPaying for funeral expensesCurrent Xarelto Lawsuits
June 2014 – A Kentucky woman, Virginia Stuntebeck, filed a lawsuit against Bayer due to severe intestinal bleeding she suffered as a result of taking Xarelto. She made claims of negligence, false marketing, and fraud against the manufacturer.
June 2014 – Nancy Packard sued Xarelto manufacturers because her husband died after taking Xarelto for 6 months to treat his atrial fibrillation. Doctors could not stop the bleeding on his brain because there is not currently an antidote, or reversal agent, for the drug. She claims that Bayer & Janssen did not warn her husband that there was no antidote.
August 2014 – Ruth E. McGowan filed a lawsuit against Bayer & Janssen on behalf of her father, who died due to complications caused by Xarelto. He died from a bleed on the brain after taking Xarelto for 9 days, despite the best efforts of doctors. She claims her father was not made aware of the risks.Contact Our Legal Team
Lawsuits don’t have to be a scary process. If you think you or someone you love has suffered as a result of Xarelto, get in touch with one of our Xarelto lawyers today. We are here to help you every step of the way. Fill out our FREE case evaluation or call 888-595-2922 to see your options.

Return to headline | Return to top
Xarelto Lawsuit

Jun 18, 2015 | scinjurylawfirm.com

By The Michael Jeffcoat Firm

Hundreds of Xarelto lawsuits have been filed over allegations that patients taking the popular blood thinner were not sufficiently warned about its internal bleeding risks or lack of reversal agent, with many complaints currently consolidated as part of two litigation processes in Louisiana and Pennsylvania.
Plaintiffs who file suit against the drug’s manufacturer and marketing agent (Bayer Pharmaceuticals and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson) charge that they fraudulently marketed the drug as safer and more convenient than older blood thinners on the market.
At The Michael Jeffcoat Firm, we represent clients who have been harmed by dangerous drugs and can assist you in filing a Xarelto lawsuit. Patients who have suffered bleeding complications or lost a loved one are encouraged to contact our firm for a free case review.Marketing claims about Xarelto
The Xarelto lawsuits join an even larger number of complaints associated with Pradaxa, introduced in 2010 as the first of the so-called “next generation” of anticoagulants. Like Pradaxa, Xarelto (Rivaroxaban, approved by the FDA in 2011) and other drugs of this category initially seemed to offer the promise of more convenient, more effective treatment for patients at risk for deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism compared to older drugs.
Previously, the “go-to” anticoagulant for physicians had been warfarin (marketed under the brand name Coumedin); warfarin required strict monitoring, frequent blood tests, and the maintenance of a careful lifestyle of diet and exercise. Xarelto was marketed as requiring fewer restrictions with the same results. The popularity of such drugs quickly skyrocketed, with Bayer netting $1.3 billion in Xarelto sales for 2013 alone.Xarelto bleeding problems
The problem with Xarelto, however, is that it lacks a reversal agent to stop bleeding events. Bleeding associated with warfarin could generally be treated with a dose of Vitamin K; this method does not work for Xarelto, leaving physicians with few options when confronted with serious bleeding problems.The following Xarelto bleeding complications, some fatal, have been reported:Intracerebral (brain) hemorrhage (ICH)Spinal or epidural hematomasIntestinal bleedingAbdominal bleedingRectal bleeding
2,081 serious adverse events (SAEs) were reported to the FDA during the 2012 fiscal year alone, with 151 involving fatalities (three times the number connected with warfarin during the same period). Many who have experienced Xarelto-related injuries have sought legal action with the assistance of experienced product liability attorneys.Studies challenge initial claims about Xarelto’s safetyRecent studies call into question the initial marketing claims about Xarelto:A study of 901 patients in Ontario found that the risk of strokes and bleeding events was equally low for patients taking warfarin, Xarelto, or Pradaxa.A Journal of Neurosurgery article from August 2014 points out that a lack of antidote has grave implications for treating ICH, when a rapid response can have life or death implications.The Canadian study cited above has also suggested that patients taking Xarelto are at far less risk for serious bleeding events if they are monitored much more closely than manufacturers suggest, undercutting claims that the “new generation” drugs are easier to use than warfarin.FDA concerns about Xarelto are clearThe agency rejected three separate requests from Bayer to broaden the uses of the drug beginning in 2013 because of specific concerns about bleeding risks.They sent a warning letter to Bayer in June of 2011 for downplaying the risk associated with spinal hemorrhage.They required a more specific warning label in January of 2014, stating that a “specific antidote for rivaroxaban is not available” and that vitamin K and other agents do not “affect the anticoagulant activity of rivaroxaban.” This language adds to the black box warning regarding the risks of spinal hematoma and associated paralysis.Reasons for filing a Xarelto lawsuit
Patients who have filed a Xarelto lawsuit with The Michael Jeffcoat Firm contend that they suffered injuries as a direct result of the following:The company did not adequately test or monitor Xarelto for safetyBayer made false claims about the safety and convenience of their drugThe company failed to warn about the risks associated with the lack of antidoteThose filing a lawsuit seek compensation for the following losses:Medical expenses (past, present, and/or future)Loss of income and/or earning expensesDiminished earning capacityLoss of spousal consortiumPain and sufferingWrongful deathFuture of Xarelto litigation
The first Xarelto wrongful death lawsuit was filed in April of 2014. As the number of plaintiffs filing individual claims about the injuries and losses they have suffered in association with Xarelto has steadily grown, the court system has approved two consolidated litigations that process cases more efficiently:A multidistrict litigation (MDL 2592 – Xarelto Products Liability Litigation) in the Eastern District of Louisiana established in December of 2014. The MDL currently includes more than 300 lawsuits.A mass tort in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas under Judge Kevin Dougherty established in January of 2015. The mass tort currently has close to 200 lawsuits.
The federal and state-level Xarelto litigations allow parties to share in the discovery process. At some point, preliminary (or “bellwether”) trials will likely be scheduled in order to set precedent, determine a likely jury response in subsequent trials, and encourage large-scale settlements.How The Michael Jeffcoat Firm can help
Those filing a Xarelto lawsuit with our firm can count on highly credentialed personal injury lawyers who will provide thorough background and preparation work, aggressive representation, and accessibility during all stages of litigation. You need legal advocates on your side who can take on Big Pharma successfully, negotiate a fair settlement or try your case before a jury. We get results for our clients, as attested by our strong track record in the area of product liability litigation. Call our offices today for a free and confidential case review.

Return to headline | Return to top
Xarelto and the Risk of Bleeding

Jun 17, 2015 | Purdue and Kidd

By Purdue and Kidd

On June 11, 2015, Judge Eldon Fallon of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana held a Science Day to better educate himself and the public about the anticoagulant drug Xarelto. Judge Fallon is overseeing consolidated multi-district litigation (MDL) proceedings for all Xarelto lawsuits filed or removed to United States Federal Court.
The manufacturers of Xarelto brought in two expert, a hematologist and electrophysiologist, who gave presentations on the benefits Xarelto as opposed to Warfarin, which has been the anticoagulant drug of choice since the 1950’s. The experts’ major argument was that while Xarelto has not been shown to be more effective than Warfarin in preventingmajor injuries associated with blood clots, Xarelto only has to be taken once a day, does not require continuous monitoring, does not require significant dietary changes, has fewer drug interactions, and some studies show Xarelto takers are at less risk for significant bleeding events, particularly fragile individuals.Why Xarelto is Dangerous
Following the two defense experts the Xarelto Plaintiffs Steering Committee offered two of its own experts to discuss the benefits and risks of the drug. Their major concerns had to do with (1) the 20 mg once a day Xarelto dosing regimen, and (2) that there is no recognized test to determine if an individual patient, with their own unique characteristic, is at high risk for bleeding events. With regard to the first concern, a 20 mg Xarelto tablet is taken once a day. The experts discussed how this amount, as opposed to twice a day dosing at 10 mg, leads to greater peaks (too much drug in the system potentially leading to increased risk of bleeding events) and troughs ( too little drug in the system potentially leading increased risk of clotting events). These increased peaks and troughs could be eliminated or decrease with twice daily dosing. This dovetails with the experts’ second concern, which is that unlike Warfarin which has recognized testing and matrixes to determine which individuals are at high risk for bleeding events because of how their individual body processes the drug. No such testing exists for an individual taking Xarelto. Therefore, physicians prescribing Xarelto are unable to determine which of their patients are at increased risk for bleeding. The experts went on to demonstrate that the Xarelto Rocket AF study demonstrated that approximately 5% of patients who take Xarelto fall into this category of unidentified patients that are at higher risk for bleeds.
If you or a loved one has taken Xarelto and suffered bleeding, stroke, or death contact the lawyers of Perdue & Kidd. Our attorneys have experience representing clients throughout Texas and the country against major pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

Return to headline | Return to top
Lawsuit Alleges Drug Maker Failed to Disclose Risks of Bleeding With Xarelto

Jun 16, 2015 | American Injury

By American Injury Attorney Group

A lawsuit has been brought against Johnson & Johnson, the maker of the anticoagulant Xarelto, alleging that the company misrepresented the drug and withheld risks of uncontrollable bleeding with Xarelto.
If you or a loved one took Xarelto and suffered complications, contact the American Injury Attorney Group to learn more about your options in a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation. We can answer your questions, and if you decide to pursue a claim, we can connect you with an affiliated Xarelto attorney. The time to pursue a claim is limited, so contact us today.Xarelto Was Misrepresented, According to Lawsuit
Xarelto is a drug designed as treatment to reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis in patients who have recently undergone knee or hip surgery. Deep vein thrombosis is a serious and potentially deadly condition marked by the development of blood clots, usually in the extremities, that can travel to the lungs or brain.
The recent lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson alleges that the company fraudulently represented the safety and efficacy of this particular drug, and that it chose to conceal risks associated with the drug.
Some of the alleged dangers of using Xarelto include:Excessively heavy menstruationUnstoppable/uncontrolled bleeding at surgical or injection siteBruising, especially around the mouth, nose, and genitalsIncreased stroke riskInjured Patients May Be Eligible for Compensation
If a patient takes Xarelto and suffers complications, including internal bleeding, he or she may be entitled to compensation, which can be based on a number of factors, including:Pain, suffering, and mental anguishLoss of income or ability to workPast and future medical expenses
If a patient is killed, family members may be able to pursue compensation on behalf of deceased loved ones. Wrongful death damages may include:Conscious pain and suffering of a loved one prior to deathPain, suffering, and mental anguish resulting from the loss of a loved oneLoss of financial supportLoss of companionshipMedical expenses attributable to the fatal injuryThe Time to Pursue a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
If you or a loved one took Xarelto and suffered complications, including internal bleeding, contact the American Injury Attorney Group today for a free, no-obligation consultation to learn more about your options. If you have a case, we can connect you with an affiliated Xarelto attorney. State laws limit your time to pursue a claim, so contact us today.

Return to headline | Return to top
How to Protect Your Recovery After a Xarelto Injury

Jun 16, 2015 | Hupy.com

By Hupy and Abraham S.C

You took Xarelto to help prevent a dangerous blood clot. While Xarelto might have done that, the drug made your blood too thin and caused you to suffer from an uncontrolled bleed for which there was no immediate antidote. You have suffered financially, emotionally, and physically, and now that the immediate danger has passed you may be wondering what you can do to protect your legal recovery.
Three Steps to Take After a Xarelto Injury
Your Xarelto prescription may have come from your Wisconsin doctor; however, your doctor may not be responsible for the injury that you suffered. At the time of your prescription, your doctor may not have been warned about the dangerous side effects of Xarelto or about the lack of an antidote.
Accordingly, if you have been hurt by Xarelto it is important to:Understand that your claim may be against Johnson & Johnson or Bayer Healthcare. It may have been these companies that developed and distributed Xarelto that are responsible for the injuries caused by it, because they failed to provide a safe product or appropriate warnings about the risks associated with the drug.Keep all of your medical records. In order to recover damages you are going to have to prove that your injuries were caused by Xarelto. Your medical records, treatments, and compliance with your doctors’ orders will, therefore, be important.Find out more about your legal rights. You may be able to join with others who have been hurt in a class action or mass tort case so that together you can pool your resources and get the relief you deserve for your injuries.
The injury you’ve suffered can’t be undone, but these steps may help you protect your future. Therefore, we encourage you to take the steps described above today and to get started with your legal recovery.

Return to headline | Return to top
NEW FINDINGS AGAINST DRUG MAKERS MAY BE DAMNING FOR XARELTO LAWSUIT

Jun 15, 2015 | St. Louis Personal Injury

By Meyerkord & Meyercord

With the looming Xarelto lawsuits against the makers of the drug, the new evidence may prove to be damning for Bayer and Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, it has been found that Janssen and Bayer have refused to supply physicians and patients with Xarelto side effects regarding safety and effective use of the drug. Overall, this failure to warn has been completely unacceptable according to attorneys filing lawsuits against the pharmaceutical giant. Ironically Xarelto sales have been one of the larger drug blockbusters for Bayer and Janssen yet the drug has been one of the most unsafe for consumers.
Xarelto is an anticoagulant used to prevent the risk of blood clots or strokes in patients with a-fib, deep vein thrombosis, and those who have recently had surgery. Likewise, Xarelto is a new age blood thinner that has been marketed as superior to older anticoagulants, such as Warfarin because unlike the older medication; patients do not need to have their blood monitored. Additionally, unlike Warfarin, there is no antidote to stop Xarelto bleeding once it has begun.
Sadly, the one thing that sets Xarelto apart from other blood thinners is the one thing that is harming their patients. In other words, because Xarelto patients do not need to have their blood monitored, they are suffering life-threatening side effects. Overall, 150 Xarelto patients have died, and many more have suffered life-threatening injuries. Now families of loved ones are seeking justice, and claiming Xarelto makers of negligence, and failure to warn. Therefore, Xarelto lawsuits continue to climb.
The experienced St. Louis personal injury attorneys at Meyerkord & Meyerkord are currently representing Xarelto lawsuits from around the country. If you or a loved one were injured by Xarelto or any other drug, please contact us today for a free consultation regarding your potential consumer liability case.

Return to headline | Return to top
Xarelto Death Lawsuit Claims False Advertising

Jun 15, 2015 | AttorneyGroup.com

By American Injury Attorney Group

The wife of a deceased Rhode Island man has filed a lawsuit against Bayer, the maker of Xarelto, an anticoagulant used as a blood thinner to lower the risk of stroke in atrial fibrillation patients. According to the Xarelto death lawsuit, the deceased suffered from severe and irreversible hemorrhaging after taking Xarelto, which ultimately resulted in his death. The widow of the deceased has alleged that the drug maker failed to disclose the risks associated with using Xarelto.
If you or a loved one took Xarelto and suffered complications, contact the American Injury Attorney Group today to learn more about your options. We can answer your questions in a free and confidential consultation. There is no obligation on your part to speak with us, and if you choose to pursue a claim, we can connect you with an affiliatedXarelto lawsuit attorney. The time to pursue a claim is limited, so contact us today.Lawsuit Claims Drug Maker Deceived the Public
According to the complaint, the plaintiff not only alleges that the manufacturer failed to disclose risks of taking Xarelto, but that they also deceived the public about its convenience and benefits to increase its use and sales. Although the drug maker denies any wrongdoing, other lawsuits have been filed with similar allegations.
Bayer advertises the drug as a safer and more convenient alternative to the use of warfarin and other blood thinners on the market for atrial fibrillation patients. However, the use of Xarelto has been linked to the development of several severe reactions that require immediate and ongoing treatment and, unlike warfarin, no antidote to uncontrolled bleeding is currently available.
Alleged dangers of using Xarelto include:Bruising on the body, especially in the mouth, nose and genital organs.Unstoppable or uncontrollable bleeding from wound or injection sites.Spinal or epidural hematoma.Increased stroke risk after ending treatment.Blood clots.Severe disability.DeathInjured Patients May Be Entitled to Compensation
Patients who have taken Xarelto and suffered complications may be entitled to damages, including:Medical expensesPain and sufferingLost wages or ability to work
Family members of those killed after taking Xarelto may also be entitled to compensation for the wrongful death of their loved one, including:Pain, suffering, and mental anguish resulting from the loss of a loved oneLoss of relationship with a loved oneLoss of financial supportMedical expenses attributable to the fatal injuryThe Time to Pursue a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
If you or a loved one took Xarelto and suffered complications, including internal bleeding, contact the American Injury Attorney Group today for a free, no-obligation consultation. We can answer your questions, inform you of your options, and if you choose to pursue a claim, we can connect you with an affiliated Xarelto lawsuit attorney. The time to pursue a claim is limited, so contact us today.

Return to headline | Return to top

Plaintiff Attorney Blogs

Injury Lawyer News

Jun 25, 2015 |

By Whitney Taylor

Australian regulators are questioning whether regular monitoring would alleviate Xarelto bleeding risks, due to the failure of drug manufacturers to conduct sufficient testing of their products. In addition to rivaroxaban (Xarelto), regulators evaluated risks associated with apixaban (Eliquis) and dabigatran (Pradaxa). These drugs all fall into the category of new oral anticoagulants or NOACs.
Review in response to safety questions
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) of Australia undertook this review in response to questions about whether the safety of NOACs could be improved by adding regular blood monitoring to the prescribing protocol. The drugs, which have been touted as a convenient replacement to the older blood-thinning medication Warfarin, have raised concerns about bleeding risks after numerous reports of serious and uncontrolled bleeding events have been linked to them.
Currently, the drugs are marketed by their manufacturers as not requiring ongoing blood monitoring, like warfarin typically involves. This has been one of the selling points of NOACs, since patients do not have to spend as much time in their physicians’ offices while taking these drugs. However, the question arose as to whether monitoring would allow physicians to adjust dosing amounts accordingly to reduce the risk of potentially serious bleeding events.
The TGA stated after completing its review that it found no evidence to suggest ongoing blood monitoring would make these drugs any safer. However, that lack of evidence was due to the fact that manufacturers have not tested whether monitoring would improve the safety of their products. Without data to that effect, the TGA was unable to make a definitive assessment on the effectiveness of regular blood testing with these drugs. The office did note, however, that plasma monitoring may be useful in certain situations, including overdoses or emergency surgery.
Lawsuits continue to be filed
The Australian review comes even as a growing number of lawsuits are being filed in the U.S. against manufacturers of these drugs. Plaintiffs filing the complaints are alleging Xarelto, Pradaxa and Eliquis are leading to serious and potentially life-threatening bleeding complications. They are also asserting the drug companies failed to make consumers and the medical community aware of the bleeding risks. Some of the complaints are also alleging manufacturers should have recommended ongoing blood monitoring to prevent high concentrations of the drugs that could decrease the risk for bleeding events.
Although these drugs have been marketed as a safe and convenient alternative to warfarin, there is one key difference between warfarin and NOACs. If bleeding occurs while a patient is taking warfarin, an agent may be administered to reverse the anticoagulation properties of the drug so that bleeding may be effectively stopped. There is no such antidote for NOACs, which can leave patients vulnerable to uncontrollable bleeding, hemorrhage and death.
Xarelto lawsuits involving bleeding risks have been coordinated into multidistrict litigation in federal court in the Eastern District of Louisiana. The Honorable Judge Eldon E. Fallon is currently overseeing around 600 cases in this MDL, which was established in December 2014 for the purpose of streamlining early trial proceedings.
Another coordination was established in Illinois for Pradaxa litigation, with similar allegations in the complaints involving this NOAC. Boehringer Ingelheim offered a $650 million settlement, which is expected to be accepted by most claimants.

Return to headline | Return to top
New BMJ Study Suggests Xarelto Use Doubles Gastrointestinal Bleeding Risk

Jun 25, 2015 | The Legal Examiner

By Steven Davis

The popular blood thinner Xarelto may be the leading blood thinner in its class in the U.S., but a recent study published in the British Medical Journal suggests that use of rivaroxaban (the generic name for Xarelto) may double the risk for gastrointestinal bleeding when compared with warfarin (the generic version of Coumadin).
The study, which focused on over 45,000 U.S. patients, was intended to help determine the overall safety of rivaroxaban when compared with warfarin in terms of the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding as a side effect, but the researchers were unable to rule out a bleeding risk of more than twice that of warfarin.
Xarelto Prescribed to Prevent Blood Clots
Anticoagulants like Xarelto are widely prescribed in the U.S. and around the world to prevent blood clots from forming due to atrial fibrillation or after hip or knee replacement surgery. They are also used to treat deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and to prevent blood clots from forming again.
Although Xarelto offers several distinct advantages over warfarin, including simplified dosing, no monitoring requirement, and fewer drug interactions, in the event of severe bleeding, there is no known antidote for Xarelto, unlike warfarin, which is easily reversed with a dose of vitamin K. Gastrointestinal bleeding carries with it a substantial risk of serious injury and even death. Those at risk for uncontrollable bleeding events should consider the risks and benefits of using Xarelto.
Xarelto Lawsuits Charge Failure to Warn
Severe bleeding events have precipitated numerous lawsuits against Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Bayer Corp., the manufacturers of Xarelto, alleging the manufacturers put patient lives at risk by failing to provide product labeling that sufficiently warned consumers about the possibility of uncontrollable hemorrhaging caused by Xarelto use.
There are currently more than 300 Xarelto lawsuits in federal litigation in Louisiana, and another 160 pending in a mass tort proceeding in Pennsylvania. The plaintiffs in these lawsuits allege that they never would have used Xarelto had they known of the risks, and also that Janssen and Bayer misled health care providers by claiming that follow-up testing is unnecessary with the medication.

Return to headline | Return to top
Xarelto MDL Progresses As Court Sets Deadlines

Jun 24, 2015 | Top Class Actions

By Karina Basso

A judge is attempting to resolve some of the outstanding issues in the Xarelto MDL in the Eastern District of Louisiana, where all federal Xarelto lawsuits have been consolidated for pre-trial proceedings.
A recent order addressed problems with the plaintiff and defendant fact sheets, the deposition of witnesses, the bundling of complaints and their answers, the selection of bellwether trials, and the scheduling of “science days” for the various Xarelto lawsuits involved in the MDL.
Below are deadlines that were set by the court in the Xarleto MDL.
April 30: The defendants of the Xarelto MDL were required to produce numerous documents for the plaintiffs involved in the various Xarelto lawsuits, including documents with important details regarding the development, manufacturing, marketing, and sale of the popular anticoagulant drug. The defendants also needed to submit a corporate organization chart and a separate document employee contact information for the companies involved in this Xarelto lawsuits.
May 1: On this date and moving forward, the process of collecting defendants’ witness depositions began.
June 11: Set as “science day,” during which all parties involved met to discuss scientific reports and research publications pertinent to the Xarelto MDL. This included research studies that demonstrate the risks and side effects of taking Xarelto, including Xarelto bleeding.
June 15: Parties involved in the Xarelto MDL met to identify 40 to 60 plaintiffs to participate in discovery, as well as to discuss the timing of future dates for bellwether trials.Xarelto Lawsuits Consolidated
The reason to consolidate hundreds of Xarelto lawsuits filed in federal courts across the nation was to create a more efficient way to handle all the claims filed against Xarelto’s manufacturer and other pharmaceutical companies for allegedly dangerous side effects.
Originally released in 2011, Xarelto is part of a group of new generation anticoagulant medications that have become the preferred prescription treatment for patients who have recently undergone hip and knee replacements, as well as those suffering from atrial fibrillation.
However, after just one year on the market, adverse event reports were being submitted to the FDA concerning serious Xarelto side effects such as hemorrhaging and uncontrollable bleeding.
All anticoagulants carry a risk of bleeding, but plaintiffs filing Xarelto lawsuits claim that the manufacturers failed to fully warn consumers and doctors of all the risks associated with using the blood thinner. Instead, they claim the pharmaceutical companies overstated Xarelto’s efficacy as an anticoagulant treatment while simultaneously downplaying the known Xarelto side effects.
More than 400 Xarelto injury lawsuits have been filed under the MDL, and an additional 200 are pending in a mass tort case in Pennsylvania.

Return to headline | Return to top
Bayer Hit with Xarelto Lawsuit Over Bleeding Complications

Jun 22, 2015 | Top Class Actions

By Paul Tassin

The anticoagulant Xarelto has drawn yet another Xarelto lawsuit, this time from two plaintiffs who are suing together.
Plaintiff Bernard R. of Texas filed the Xarelto bleeding lawsuit on behalf of his late wife Grace. Grace took Xarelto for the first six months in 2013, until she suffered a gastrointestinal bleed that June. Plaintiff Willard W. of Arkansas Xarelto from March to June 2013 and also suffered a gastrointestinal bleed.
Bernard and Willard are suing Janssen Pharamceuticals, Johnson & Johnson, Bayer Corporation, and their related companies, all of whom the plaintiffs allege are involved in the production and sale of Xarelto.
Xarelto is a blood thinner that got its first FDA approval in July 2011. Since then, it has been approved for treatment and prevention of pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis and for reducing the risk of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.
The plaintiffs’ Xarelto lawsuit recounts much of the criticism of the clinical trials conducted in the course of FDA approval, casting doubt on whether Xarelto is truly a safe product.
Despite the flaws in the clinical trials, the plaintiffs allege that the drug makers used the results from them to promote Xarelto as a safe and effective product. Xarelto sales reached about $2 billion in 2013, which plaintiffs attribute in part to the defendant’s spending $11 million during the same year on Xarelto marketing.
The FDA has already warned the defendants at least once about exaggerating the features of Xarelto in their advertising. In June 2013, the federal agency gave the manufacturers notice that some of their promotional material was “false or misleading” because it minimized the risks associated with Xarelto, and because it made a “misleading claim” about dosage adjustments.
Contrary to the defendants’ representations about Xarelto, the drug’s track record, as Bernard and Willard recount, is not as positive. According to the plaintiffs, within one year after Xarelto’s introduction to the market, the FDA received 2,081 Serious Adverse Event reports related to Xarelto, 151 of which resulted in death.
Plaintiffs also say that in the first eight months of 2013, German regulatory authorities received 968 adverse event reports related to Xarelto, 78 of which resulted in death.
Bernard and Willard’s Xarelto lawsuit raises claims for strict liability, defective design and manufacturing, failure to warn, negligence, breach of warranty, negligent misrepresentation, fraud, violation of consumer protection laws, and loss of consortium (a claim based on the effect of Xarelto side effects on the plaintiffs’ marital relationships).
They seek compensation for pain, suffering and emotional distress and for medical and other expenses. They also seek reimbursement of their attorneys’ fees and costs of litigation and an award of punitive damages.
This claim is part of the Xarelto multidistrict litigation, or MDL. An MDL is a consolidation of large numbers of individual claims that share many common issues.
The Xarelto Lawsuit MDL is Case No. 2:15-CV-01858 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana under MDL No. 2592.

Return to headline | Return to top
Filings in Mass Tort Program Increase by 29 Percent in Phila.

Jun 22, 2015 | The Legal Intelligencer

By Max Mitchell

First-quarter filings in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas' mass tort program are up significantly from the previous year and indicate that 2015 will be another active year.
According to the court's most recent quarterly statistics, as of April, 406 new cases were filed. That number is a more than 29 percent increase over first-quarter numbers last year, which saw 314 new filings by the end of April and ended up closing with a total of 2,095 new cases being filed.
In the past few years, new filings for the mass tort program had been trending downward. But the closing total for 2014 represented a 158 percent increase over 2013, which saw only 813 new cases filed.
Filings in 2013 had dipped about 0.4 percent—three cases—from the 816 that were filed in 2012. But the number of new cases filed in 2012 dropped 70 percent from 2011, which was the peak year for the mass tort program. In 2011, 2,690 new cases had been filed.
The breakdown for the numbers so far for 2015 show that 61 of the new cases, or 15 percent, are related to asbestos, and 345 new filings, or 85 percent, are related to pharmaceutical litigation.
According to the court statistics, new pharmaceutical filings consist almost entirely of cases related to Xarelto and Risperdal.
Since April, 197 new cases were filed over the antipsychotic drug Risperdal, and 139 plaintiffs filed suit over Xarelto, which is a blood thinner.
As of early May, there are currently 5,228 total cases in the Complex Litigation Center's inventory. That is a 22 percent increase over 2014 first-quarter numbers. Last year, The Legal reported there were 4,269 filings pending by the end of April 2014.
Most of the filings, 43.8 percent of the inventory, or 2,292 cases, were from litigation involving Reglan. In those cases, plaintiffs alleged that Reglan, or metoclopramide, caused them to develop an incurable neurological disorder called tardive dyskinesia. Although the percentage of Reglan-related cases has dropped from 54 percent of the new filings as of April 2014, the number of Reglan cases has remained steady at 2,292 since last year.
Risperdal filings are the second most prominent, with 1,329 filings, or 25.4 percent of the inventory. The 628 asbestos filings make up 12 percent of the inventory, while Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella birth control filings account for about 7 percent of the cases. The 221 Xarelto cases make up about 4.2 percent of the filings.
Making up less than 1 percent of the total inventory are 18 cases related to Topamax litigation, 11 cases related to Fen-Phen, eight cases related to Paxil, and one case each related to hormone therapy, Hydroxycut and denture adhesive cream litigation.
Over the past year, filings related to Xarelto have been steadily increasing, according to court officials.
The plaintiffs in these cases are claiming that Xarelto causes uncontrollable and sometimes fatal bleeding in patients. Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals are the defendants in the litigation.
The mass tort was established early this year, on Jan. 21, by order of the center's coordinating judge, Arnold L. New.
Complex Litigation Center director Stanley Thompson told The Legal earlier in the year that these cases have been on the rise since the city's first Xarelto case was filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas in February 2014.
Between March and October 2014, only a handful of cases were filed each month, with the most being five in September. But in November 2014, the number spiked with 19 new cases filed. In December, 26 cases were filed, followed by 17 in January 2015, 37 in February and 50 in March.
So far this year, courts have also been actively litigating claims related to Risperdal.
Plaintiffs in these cases have alleged the antipsychotic medication caused enlarged breast growth in males, a condition called gynecomastia, and the drugmaker failed to properly warn of the risks.
The first Risperdal case in Philadelphia concluded with a $2.5 million verdict for the plaintiff.
In the second trial, the jury found Risperdal was not the cause of the plaintiff's breast growth. However, the jury did find Janssen was negligent in failing to warn about the potential risk of the drug.
In late May, the third Risperdal case settled for a confidential amount.
In the wake of the settlement, an attorney who is trying Risperdal cases said he doesn't anticipate that Janssen will settle the remainder of the cases in the immediate future.

Return to headline | Return to top
Boehringer says Pradaxa blood-thinning effect shown to be reversible

Jun 22, 2015 | Reuters

Germany's Boehringer said an experimental drug to reverse the blood-thinning effect of its stroke prevention pill Pradaxa was shown to be effective based on initial results of a late-stage study.
Pradaxa was first to the mass market of stroke prevention in a new class of anti-clotting pills to replace decades-old warfarin, which requires dose adjustments and dietary restrictions.
But the new class of drugs, such as Bayer and Johnson & Johnson's Xarelto and Bristol Myers-Squibb and Pfizer's Eliquis, posed the danger of internal bleeding if the body fails to decompose the active ingredient, creating the need for reversal agents.
The anti-coagulant effects of Xarelto and Eliquis have been shown to be reversed in late-stage studies by Portola Pharmaceuticals Inc's experimental drug andexanet alfa
Boehringer, which has been developing its own reversal agent since 2009, said on Monday that the drug, idarucizumab, reversed the anticoagulant effect of the Pradaxa blood thinner completely within minutes, according to an interim analysis of a Phase III study.
Cases when patients on blood-thinning pills are in need of an antidote include severe injury or emergency surgery.
In May last year, Boehringer settled claims that Pradaxa had caused severe and fatal bleeding in patients for about $650 million in the U.S.
Pradaxa sales stagnated at 1.2 billion euros ($1.4 billion) in 2014, under pressure from a range of rival products including Xarelto and Eliquis. ($1 = 0.8800 euros) (Reporting byLudwig Burger; Editing by David Holmes)

Return to headline | Return to top
Concerns about Anticoagulant Link to Bleeding Event

Jun 18, 2015 | LawyersandSettlment.com

By Heidi Turner

Anticoagulant lawsuits have been filed against the makers of various newer generation anticoagulant makers alleging patients were not warned about the lack of an antidote to the medications. There are a variety of new generation anticoagulants, including Zontivity, Xarelto and Pradaxa. So far, no Zontivity lawsuits have been filed.

New anticoagulants such as Zontivity were developed to replace Coumadin, which for a long time was the standard anticoagulant. Anticoagulants are used to reduce the risk of stroke by preventing the patient’s blood from clotting by thinning it. Because blood doesn't clot as well, when on an anticoagulant medication a patient could be at risk of a severe bleeding event.

Patients who take Coumadin have safety nets in place: they regularly have their blood monitored to ensure it stays within therapeutic levels - meaning it will still clot to prevent an uncontrolled bleeding event; and if an uncontrolled bleeding event does occur, the patient can be given vitamin K to reverse the effects of the anticoagulant and get the bleeding under control.

Drug companies manufactured newer anticoagulants to provide patients with a blood thinner that did not require medical monitoring. This would allow patients to use a blood thinner with greater ease and fewer restrictions. But the newer blood thinners are not reversed with vitamin k, meaning patients who suffer an uncontrolled bleeding event could find themselves in a life-threatening situation.

Lawsuits have been filed against the makers of Pradaxa and Xarelto, alleging patients were not adequately warned about the lack of an antidote to the medications.

Zontivity is newer than Pradaxa and Xarelto, having been approved for use in 2014. But its approval did not come without concerns. According to briefing documents from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), one study of Zontivity, the TRACER study, was halted early “because of an increased rate of major bleeding, including intracrainial hemorrhage (ICH) in the vorapaxar [Zontivity] arm.”

Meanwhile, a different study, TRA2P, showed positive results for Zontivity, but not without complications.

“There was substantially increased risk of intracranial hemorrhage in the vorapaxar arm subjects with a prior history of stroke coupled with no observed benefit of vorapaxar for the primary endpoint in that subset,” according to the FDA’s briefing documents. In other words, patients with a prior history of stroke had an increased risk of intracranial hemorrhage but received no additional benefit from taking Zontivity.

Lawsuits have been filed against the makers of newer generation anticoagulants alleging patients were not adequately warned about the risks associated with taking the medications, including the risk of uncontrolled bleeding. Lawsuits also allege the drugs were marketed in a misleading way. So far, Zontivity is not one of the drugs facing a lawsuit, but it has been on the market for a very short time.

Return to headline | Return to top
Xarelto Suit Claims Side Effects Cause Serious Injuries

Jun 17, 2015 | Legal Reader

By Jay Belle Isle

What do a racecar driver, a comedian and a professional golfer have in common? They’re taking Xarelto, or playing Russian roulette, as I like to call it. A new Xarelto suit claims side effects cause serious injuries. Janssen Research & Development has been sued in federal court for failing to warn of the risks.
Mary and Hubert A., plaintiffs, claim that Xarelto caused Mary to experience abnormal bleeding and a several day hospital stay, in addition to other serious injuries. Mary took Xarelto from January 2013 to May 2014. The couple seeks compensatory, consequential and punitive damages from Janssen for Mary’s injuries as well as Hubert’s loss of consortium (loss of spouse’s relationship or physical intimacy).
Xarelto (rivaroxaban) is a newer anticoagulant to hit the market. This class of blood thinners is touted as being superior to the previous class, which includes Warfarin. The FDA approved Xarelto in 2011 for use in preventing blood clots after surgery. It’s also approved for reducing the risk of stroke and systemic embolism in those who have non-valvular atrial fibrillation, in addition to being used to treat deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.
One of the things that make Xarelto superior to Warfarin, according to Janssen, is that patients don’t have to follow dietary restrictions of have constant blood monitoring as they do with Warfarin.
Unfortunately, Xarelto beats out Warfarin in being dangerous, too. Based on adverse event reports received by the FDA, Xarelto and many of the new blood thinners may possibly be some of the most dangerous prescription drugs on the market.
As example, in an ironic twist, Xarelto can cause severe blood clots in younger patients using the drug after hip or knee replacements. It can also cause uncontrolled bleeding and hemorrhaging. It becomes even worse when one considers the fact that there is no FDA-approved antidote for Xarelto’s effects as there is for Warfarin. If Warfarin causes uncontrolled bleeding, an injected dose of vitamin K, often mixed with fresh or frozen plasma, will stop it.
Hence, the racecar driver, comedian and professional golfer playing Russian roulette.

Return to headline | Return to top
XARELTO: “ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL”

Jun 17, 2015 | MTMP

By Levin Papantonio

Injury lawsuits, such as the ongoing litigation against Bayer AG and Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen division over the anticoagulant medication Xarelto, are based on what is known as a “cause of action.” In other words, the court wants to know what it was that resulted in the plaintiff’s injury.
Broadly speaking, Xarelto is alleged to have caused uncontrolled bleeding in a number of patients, resulting in pain, suffering and death. However, the problem is even more specific than that.
A big selling point for the “new generation” anticoagulants was its simplicity: whereas the old treatment, warfarin, had many potential interactions, requiring frequent (and expensive) patient monitoring, the new treatments had relatively few interactions. Warfarin patients must also keep track of their INR. Short for “International Normalized Ratio,” this is a measure of how long it requires blood clots to form. INR determines the amount of medication the patient should take and serves as a guide to adjusting dosage.
There were two issues in which the drug companies responsible for the new anticoagulant Xarelto went wrong. First of all, once a patient starts hemorrhaging, there is virtually no way to stop it. Presently, there is no reversal agent for what are known as “Factor Xa [10-a] Antagonists.” While suchan antidote is currently being studied, it has not yet been approved for the market.
The second issue is related to the first. In its market promotions, Bayer stated that when it came to dosage, Xarelto offered a “one size fits all” approach. There was supposedly no need to bother with INR measurements. Xarelto tablets are available in three different strengths (10 mg, 15 mg and 20 mg); the only consideration for the physician was the specific risk factor – DVT prophylaxis (deep vein thrombosis prevention) for joint replacement, non-valvular atrial fibrillation (heart arrhythmia), or pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lungs).
Simple, right? An added advantage was that patients would be more likely to take the medication if they didn’t have to deal with the inconvenience of monitoring their INF.
Not really. A research study, published in Thrombosis Journal in February 2014, demonstrated that the risk of fatal bleeding in patients treated with Xarelto was directly related to the size of the dose. The researchers stated that:
[T]herapeutic excesses can condition bleeding risk and therapeutic limitation can increase thrombotic risk, especially when short-acting drugs such as the new oral anticoagulants are used. . . . [I]t is imperative to establish an appropriate method for monitoring new oral anticoagulants, setting levels of safety and effectiveness through periodic dosage and monitoring of their anticoagulant effects. Therefore, we still recommend the use of anticoagulation units [INR] for monitoring during treatment with the new oral anticoagulants. (Altman, 2014).
Apparently, Bayer either didn’t know about this recommendation (highly unlikely), or disregarded it (very likely).
It wasn’t the only time medical researchers had sounded the alarm. In March of 2015, Dr. J. Robert Powell published an editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Association in which he stated:
Even though the one-size-fits-all DOAC [Direct-acting Oral AntiCoagulant) dosing may perform as well or better than warfarin on average, evidence suggests that patient safety can be further improved through individualized dosing.

Return to headline | Return to top
Xarelto Bleeding Investigated in ‘Science Day’

Jun 17, 2015 | Top Class Actions

By Meredith Friesen

A judge called for a “science day” at which both sides can present scientific evidence exploring Xarelto bleeding.
U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon is presiding over hundreds of Xarelto lawsuits which have been consolidated into a Xarelto MDL. The Xarelto lawsuits claim the blood thinning drug causes uncontrollable internal bleeding side effects which the drug manufacturer failed to warn about.
Xarelto bleeding science day was supposed to give plaintiffs and defendants an opportunity to show their evidence. Science days are becoming more common as more drug manufacturers face lawsuits claiming that their drugs cause dangerous and unknown side effects.
For the Xarelto science day, Judge Fallon stated that physicians and scientists would be allowed to speak before the court. They would not be questioned by the other parties.Xarelto Bleeding
Xarelto is one of several new Factor Xa drugs that has been approved in the past several years. Factor Xa drugs were created to be alternatives to warfarin, the previously leading anticoagulant. Warfarin has been used for decades, but users were required to restrict their diet and have their blood monitored while they were using the drug.
Xarelto and other Factor Xa drugs did not require monitoring and appeared to be more user friendly. However, according to Xarelto lawsuits, there were internal bleeding side effects which were not adequately warned against.
All Factor Xa drugs, including Pradaxa and Eliquis, have be blamed for causing severe, and sometimes deadly, internal bleeding side effects. It has been suggested that that Xarelto side effects could be minimized if they monitored the patient’s blood.
What furthers the danger is the fact that there is no antidote for Xarelto side effects. If a patient begins to suffer from Xarelto bleeding, the only way to get the drug out of the system is for the patient to undergo a blood transfusion.
Warfarin also caused internal bleeding in some patients, but there is an antidote that may be used should this happen. Factor Xa drugs have been considered especially dangerous because of the lack of method to stop Xarelto side effects.Xarelto Lawsuits
Hundreds of Xarelto lawsuits have been filed against Bayer Pharmaceuticals and Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Thousands of lawsuits have been filed against Factor Xa drug manufactures in general.
Xarelto lawsuits may help victims win compensation for the pain and suffering caused by the drug, any medical bills, cost of treatment, lost wages, and more.

Return to headline | Return to top
Xarelto, Pradaxa Monitoring Pointless Because Manufacturers Did Not Adequately Research: Aussie Regulators

Jun 15, 2015 | AboutLawsuits.com

By Irvin Jackson

Foreign regulators are raising questions about whether additional blood monitoring for Xarelto, Pradaxa, Eliquis or other new-generation anticoagulants would make the drugs any safer, since the manufacturers have failed to conduct sufficient research on the controversial medications.
Xarelto, Pradaxa and Eliquis are all part of a new breed of blood thinners prescribed to prevent blood clots among patients with atrial fibrillation and other circumstances where users face a risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism or stroke.
The medications have quickly grown to become blockbuster treatments following aggressive promotions by the drug makers, which indicate the medications are easier to use since they do not require the close blood monitoring necessary with warfarin, which has been the go-to anticoagulant for decades.
Since the drugs have hit the market, a surprising number of reports involving severe and uncontrollable bleeding problems have surfaced with Xarelto, Pradaxa and Eliquis, raising serious questions about the safety of the medications and the adequacy of warnings provided by the drug makers.
The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration announced earlier this month that it has completed a review of new oral anticoagulants (NOACs), which found that there is no evidence to support routine blood monitoring at this time. However, the report indicated that the reason blood monitoring is unlikely to make the drugs safer is because the manufacturers have failed to tests whether monitoring would help, creating a lack of usable data.
“The NOAC sponsors have not undertaken dedicated studies to evaluate the effects of routine plasma monitoring on the safety profile of their medicines, as such monitoring is not likely to significantly add to the use of clinical parameters to determine bleeding risk,” the TGA statement indicates. “Therefore, the TGA’s review has found there is no evidence at this time to support a recommendation for routine plasma monitoring in patients being treated with these medicines.”
The TGA review comes after thousands of Xarelto lawsuits and Pradaxa lawsuits have been filed against the drug makers in the U.S., alleging that inadequate warnings were provided about the potential bleeding risk and the lack of an effective reversal agent that doctors could use to stop bleeds that develop. Many of the complaints also allege that the drug makers should have recommended blood monitoring, which could have allowed doctors to adjust the dose based on test results to avoid high concentrations that may lead to serious bleeding events.New Blood Thinner Bleeding Risks
Pradaxa was introduced by Boehringer Ingelheim in late 2010 as the first member of a new class of anticoagulants. Xarelto was introduced by Bayer and Janssen Pharmaceuticals in 2011, as the second member of this class.
While all blood thinners carry a risk of bleeding injury, Pradaxa and Xarelto have been linked to a surprising number of problems as more and more patients are switched from warfarin to the new anticoagulants.
Unlike warfarin, where doctors can quickly reverse the blood thinning effects of the medication if bleeding problems develop, Pradaxa and Xarelto were introduced without an effective reversal agent. As a result, many doctors have reported being unable to stop or control hemorrhaging or bleeding that develops among users of the drugs.
Several recent studies have also raised questions about the marketing claims made by the makers of these new anticoagulants, suggesting that Pradaxa and Xarelto blood monitoring may actually help doctors identify patients at the greatest risk of bleeding.
In July 2014, an investigative report published by The BMJ suggested that the makers of Pradaxa failed to provide the FDA with important clinical trial data that suggested users may benefit from regular blood monitoring to make sure the drug did not build up in their bloodstream, increasing the risk of bleeds.
In to another study published by the Journal of Cardiology in October 2014, researchers indicated that Xarelto monitoring may have helped doctors understand the effects of the drug on a particular patient and their associated bleeding risk.

Return to headline | Return to top

Add recipients

Suggested