A Xarelto lawsuit has been filed by the daughters of a deceased North Carolina man who allegedly died of internal bleeding due to ingesting the blood thinner medication.

Plaintiffs Chrissa L. and Betty D. have accused Johnson & Johnson, Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Bayer Healthcare of fraudulent misrepresentation.

They claim the Xarelto manufacturers deceived the medical community and the public in general with claims that the anticoagulant had been tested and was found to be safe and effective. 

According to the Xarelto bleeding lawsuit, the manufacturers participated in an aggressive marketing campaign which resulted in $582 million in global sales in its first year. Through these direct to consumer advertisements, manufacturers overstated the efficiency of Xarelto with respect to preventing stroke and systemic embolism.

The plaintiffs state that Xarelto manufacturers also “failed to adequately disclose to patients that there is no drug, agent, or means to reverse the anticoagulation effects of Xarelto, and that such irreversibility could have permanently disabling, life threatening and fatal consequences.”

The Xarelto lawsuit claims that the manufacturers defrauded both the public and the healthcare community with the intent of persuading them to either recommend, dispense or purchase Xarelto.

Chrissa and Betty are seeking more than $75,000 for the alleged wrongful death of their father. They claim to have suffered loss including, but not limited to support, income, services, consortium and guidance.

Xarelto Bleeding Side Effects

The “new” blood thinner Xarelto was FDA approved in 2011 to treat atrial fibrillation and to be used as a blood clot treatment for patients after knee or hip replacement surgery.

Marketed as “more convenient” when compared to the traditional anticoagulant Warfarin (Coumadin), direct to consumer advertisements encouraged patients to ask their physician about Xarelto. Manufacturers claimed that patients taking Xarelto would no longer have to endure regular blood testing or be subject to dietary restrictions.

Within just a few years, Xarelto has gained in popularity. According to manufacturers, it’s the #1 blood thinner in its class with 11 million prescriptions in the U.S. alone.

However, it didn’t take long before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration began receiving reports of serious Xarelto side effects. To date, the agency has received thousands of adverse event reports concerning Xarelto side effects, hundreds of those reports claim Xarelto caused a hemorrhage related death.

Commonly reported Xarelto complications include:

• Gastrointestinal bleeding
• Low blood pressure
• Abnormal liver function
• Rapid heartbeat
• Reduced platelet levels
• Rectal bleeding
• Brain hemorrhaging
• Bruising
• Nose bleeds
• Dizziness
• Hemorrhaging in the eyes

Xarelto Lawsuits

Currently, Xarelto manufacturers face several hundred complaints in a multidistrict litigation centralized in Louisiana. Legal experts predict the Xarelto MDL will reach more than one thousand claims before the trial begins.

In general, plaintiffs allege that Johnson & Johnson, Janssen Pharmaceuticals along with Bayer did not adequately warn Xarelto consumers that there is no antidote for excessive bleeding.

Contact an Xarelto attorney to find out if you have legal claim.

The Xarelto Internal Bleeding Lawsuit is In re: Xarelto (Rivaroxaban) Products Liability Litigation, Case No. 2:15-cv-01066-EEF-MBN and MDL No. 2592 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.