An Illinois couple has filed a Xarelto internal bleeding lawsuit against Janssen Pharmaceuticals and other defendants stating that the use of Xarelto caused an internal bleeding event in the husband.

Xarelto Internal Bleeding Lawsuit

Plaintiff Herbert H. and consortium plaintiff Sharon H. name Janssen R&D, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Janssen Ortho, Johnson & Johnson and Bayer among the defendants in this Xarelto internal bleeding lawsuit.

The couple claims that Herbert began taking Xarelto in August 2014 for atrial fibrillation under the care of his physician. The couple claims that in January of 2015, and as a direct and proximate result of taking Xarelto, he experienced Xarelto internal bleeding.

The plaintiff used Xarelto, generically known as rivaroxaban. Xarelto is a drug that is used to reduce the risk of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.

It is also used to treat deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.

Usually, Xarelto is used for patients who have undergone hip or knee replacement surgery.

In 2011 Xarelto was okayed by the FDA to treat pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis, the very reason why the plaintiff in this Xarelto internal bleeding lawsuit used the drug.

But 12 months after it was approved, over 1,000 serious Xarelto internal bleeding events had been reported to the FDA.

By the end of 2012, that number climbed to over 2,000. Of that 2,000, 151 were Xarelto internal bleeding related fatalities.

The problem with Xarelto is that unlike other anticoagulants, like the market standard, warfarin, there is no antidote to serious Xarelto internal bleeding events.

Naturally, an anticoagulant is designed to help thin the blood. But when this gets out of control, an antidote is needed.

Warfarin has a vitamin K regimen that is used to counteract its effects. However, Xarelto and other newer generation anticoagulants, does not have such an antidote.

For this reason, Xarelto can be risky and life-threatening when a Xarelto internal bleeding event occurs.

Plaintiffs Herbert and Sharon accuse Janssen, Johnson & Johnson and Bayer of negligently and fraudulently representing to the medical community and the public the safety of Xarelto.

They also allege that the defendants concealed important safety information from doctors and patients.

According to this Xarelto internal bleeding lawsuit, the defendants intentionally hid this information with the purpose of inducing the public to take Xarelto and the medical community to encourage its use.

The plaintiffs claim, that had they known the Xarelto internal bleeding risks, Herbert would not have opted to use the drug.

They say that Herbert “was and still is caused to suffer serious and dangerous side effects including, inter alia, life-threatening bleeding, as well as other severe and personal injuries which are permanent and lasting in nature, physical pain and mental anguish, diminished enjoyment of life, expenses for hospitalization and medical treatment, and loss of earnings.”

The plaintiffs bring claims of strict liability, manufacturing defect, design defect, failure to warn, breaches of express and implied warranty, negligence, fraudulent misrepresentation, fraudulent concealment, negligent misrepresentation, fraud and deceit, loss of consortium and other claims.

This Xarelto Internal Bleeding Lawsuit is filed within the larger consolidated multidistrict litigation In Re: Xarelto Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2592, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.