A Xarelto bleeding lawsuit has been filed against the drug’s manufacturers regarding wrongful death allegations.

Plaintiff Michael P. filed a wrongful death claim on behalf of the deceased, Judy H. In the Xarelto bleeding lawsuit, he accuses Janssen, Johnson & Johnson, Bayer, and more of negligently manufacturing and distributing the drug that led to Judy’s death.

According to Michael, Judy ingested Xarelto from Mar. 30, 2016 through Apr. 2, 2016. She then suffered internal bleeding on Apr. 2, 2016 that led to her death. Michael alleges in his Xarelto bleeding lawsuit that Judy died because she ingested Xarelto and there was no reversal agent available.

Xarelto is a blood thinner often prescribed to patients to reduce the risk of stroke and blood clots. Anticoagulants are typically prescribed to patients at high risk for clotting or with active blood clots that threaten their health. Approved by the FDA in 2011, Xarelto is among a class of new oral anticoagulants that are marketed as the “next-generation” of blood-thinning drugs to replace warfarin, the industry standard for the past 60 years.

Although bleeding is a side effect with virtually every anticoagulant, most have a reversal agent available to medical professionals should severe, life-threatening bleeding occur. Allegedly, Xarelto manufacturers did not develop a timely reversal agent for the drug, significantly increasing the risks associated with severe internal bleeding. In the case that severe bleeding should occur, the anticoagulation caused by Xarelto could not be reversed in a medical setting.

Allegedly, there have been an astonishing number of serious adverse events (SAE) reported to the FDA since Xarelto’s release. The Xarelto bleeding lawsuit argues that manufacturers have been irresponsible by not properly warning consumers, physicians, or the FDA about the potential bleeding risks associated with the drug.

“Despite the wealth of scientific evidence, Defendants have ignored the increased risk of the development of the aforementioned injuries associated with the use of Xarelto, but they have, through their marketing and advertising campaigns, urged consumers to use Xarelto without regular blood monitoring or instead of anticoagulants that present a safer alternative,” the lawsuit argues.

The Xarelto bleeding lawsuit also argues that manufacturers over-advertised the drug. Due to these advertising efforts, Xarelto is the second most prescribed drug for treatment of atrial fibrillation, beat only by warfarin. Manufacturers allegedly marketed Xarelto as a once-a-day blood thinner that does not require meticulous monitoring like warfarin does. The lawsuit argues that these claims were based on faulty science and gave consumers a sense of security that was inappropriate considering the severe bleeding side effects associated with the drug.

The complaint argues that, had Judy and her medical providers known the risks associated with Xarelto, she would not have taken the drug and would be alive as a result.

Michael accuses Xarelto manufacturers of strict liability, manufacturing defect, design defect, failure to warn, negligence, breach of warranty, misrepresentation, fraud, violation of consumer protection laws, loss of consortium, and wrongful death. He seeks a trial by jury, damages, attorney’s fees, and court costs.

The Xarelto Bleeding Lawsuit is Case No. 2:18-cv-01683-EEF-MBN in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.