A Tennessee resident has filed a lawsuit against makers of the blood thinner Xarelto, alleging he suffered two gastrointestinal internal bleeds that required blood transfusions. Plaintiff James H. claims he took the anticoagulant as directed to treat pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis over the course of a few months. James alleges he was hospitalized twice for internal Xarelto bleeding, which allegedly caused permanent personal injuries.

The Xarelto lawsuit alleges that defendants Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson, Bayer Health Pharmaceuticals, and several related companies “negligently and/or fraudulently represented to the medical and healthcare community, the Food and Drug Administration, to Plaintiff and the public in general, that Xarelto had been tested and was found to be safe and/or effective for its indicated use.” James is seeking more than $75,000 in damages for his internal Xarelto bleeding injuries. 

The Xarelto Bleeding Lawsuit is Case No. 2:15-cv-01576-EEF-MBN, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

What is Xarelto?

Xarelto was FDA approved in 2011 to prevent stroke and blood clots in patients after undergoing hip or knee replacement surgery. Marketed as a more convenient blood thinner, manufacturers claim Xarelto does not require regular blood testing or dietary restrictions unlike the more traditional anticoagulants like Warfarin (Coumadin).  However, medical studies show Xarelto carries a high risk of internal bleeding that has no known antidote or bleeding reversal agent. 

Patients who take Warfarin and experience excessive bleeding can be given a dose of Vitamin K to stop the bleeding side effects. Consumers who take Xarelto and suffer from internal bleeding will have to undergo multiple blood transfusions, as the only available medical method to get the Xarelto bleeding under control is to get the medication out of their system. This was something that James claims he was unaware of when he began taking the prescription blood thinner. 

According to the Xarelto lawsuit, manufacturers “failed to warn and disclose to patients that there is no agent to reverse the anticoagulation effects of Xarelto and that if serious bleeding occurs, it may be irreversible, permanently disabling, and life-threatening.”

After just a few short years of being on the market, thousands of consumers have filed serious adverse event reports with the FDA. Of those reported events, hundreds have resulted in a hemorrhage-related death.

Other Xarelto side effects include:

• Abdominal bleeding
• Abnormal liver function
• Reduced platlet levels
• Dizziness
• Gastrointestinal bleeding
• Brain hemorrhaging
• Hemorrhaging in the eyes
• Low Blood Pressure
• Bruising
• Edema
• Nose Bleeds
• Rectal Bleeding
• Headache
• Muscle Pain
• Rapid Heartbeat

According to the drug manufacturers, Xarelto is the number one blood thinner in its class with more than 11 million prescriptions in the United States alone.

Growing Number of Xarelto Lawsuits

James’ Xarelto lawsuit joins one of the numerous similar cases already being filed by patients who claim they were not adequately warned of the internal bleeding risks associated with the popular anticoagulant medication.

The plaintiff claims the drug manufacturers knew about the unreasonably dangerous Xarelto side effects, yet intentionally hid the information from patients and the medical community. He is seeking financial compensation for financial and emotional damages caused by the gastrointestinal bleeding Xarelto side effect.

If you have suffered from Xarelto internal bleeding, you should consider contacting a Xarelto lawyer to find out if you have legal claim to pursue a Xarelto lawsuit.