Across the country, thousands of Pradaxa lawsuits have been filed from patients who suffered dangerous internal bleeding incidents. Patients alleged manufacturer Boehringer Ingelheim either knew or should have known about potentially fatal internal bleeding, and they opted to file various counts of negligence in their Pradaxa lawsuits.

Plaintiffs in these Pradaxa lawsuits argued the drug was unreasonably dangerous for patient use and that the drug’s risks outweighed the benefits. This was emphasized by the fact that there was no reversal agent available upon Pradaxa’s release, which made the instances of unexpected internal bleeding even more dangerous.

It was not until 2015 that a reversal agent for Pradaxa was released into the market. While Pradaxa patients now have a bleeding antidote available, internal bleeding incidents could still be potentially fatal.

Overview of Pradaxa Lawsuits

Since the drug’s approval in 2010, there have been around 1,000 fatal injury reports in conjunction with Pradaxa submitted, along with thousands of Pradaxa lawsuits. Boehringer Ingelheim has sustained significant financial damages from the litigation, with the company agreeing to pay $650 million to settle 4,000 Pradaxa lawsuits.

Boehringer Ingelheim is ultimately being accused of downplaying the risk of their anticoagulant and instead emphasizing the drug’s convenience. When Pradaxa was first released into the market, it was marketed for its efficiency and convenience. This was the first drug to be released for anticoagulant purposes since warfarin was made available in the 1950s.

Pradaxa was different than warfarin in many ways, specifically how the drugs were prescribed. While warfarin patients underwent frequent dose adjustments by their physicians, Pradaxa could be prescribed in a single dose.

In addition, warfarin patients could implement vitamin K in the case of internal bleeding, while Pradaxa patients had to undergo emergency treatment. Patients suffering from internal bleeding should report to their physician immediately, and be vigilant for signs and symptoms including:

• Unusual Bruising
• Frequent Nose Bleeds
• Bleeding from Gums
• Unusual Colored Urine
• Red or Black Stool
• Coughing up Blood
• Vomiting Blood

Pradaxa is one of several new generation anticoagulants released into the United States, which were specifically developed to compete against warfarin and each other. These medications are typically prescribed to treat patients with atrial fibrillation, who are at higher risk for stroke.

Anticoagulants work by inhibiting the body’s clotting mechanism, which is supposed to prevent blood clot attack. While patients now have more options than they did in the past, manufacturers of new generation anticoagulants have faced intense litigation action for allegedly uncontrollable internal bleeding.

Patients who experienced Pradaxa internal bleeding incidents, may be eligible for compensation from Boehringer Ingelheim with potential injuries including:

• Internal Bleeding
• Kidney Bleeding
• Gastrointestinal Bleeding
• Heart Attack
• Stroke
• Brain Bleeding
• Death

Boehringer Ingelheim has been accused of knowing the risks of Pradaxa internal bleeding, and failing to disclose this information to patients.