A new lawsuit has been filed in the Benicar multidistrict litigation by a woman who alleges she suffered severe injury after taking medication in order to control her high blood pressure.

Plaintiff Eva M. filed her lawsuit against manufacturer Daiichi Sankyo stating that she sustained injury to herself as well as economic loss as a result of using Benicar.

She began using Benicar in May 2010 and suffered injuries, including manifestations of colonic disease from Benicar, following its use.

The Benciar lawsuit states that Eva suffered personal injuries including but not limited to “intestinal and/or colonic disease manifestations, resulting in Plaintiff suffering from diarrhea, nausea, constipation, abdominal pain, and/or other related symptoms.”

As a result of her injury, Eva has brought forth 10 claims against the manufacturer including products liability for design defect and failure to warn, gross negligence, negligence, negligence per se, negligent misrepresentation, negligent design, fraudulent concealment, constructive fraud, fraud, breach of express and implied warranties, unjust enrichment, and violation of North Carolina consumer protection laws.

Eva is seeking “relief and judgment against Defendants of compensatory damages, punitive damages, interest, costs of suit, and such further relief as the Court deems equitable and just.”

Colonic Disease from Benicar

Benicar (olmesartan) is an oral medication used to treat high blood pressure. For many patients, Benicar has been of great benefit in reducing their high blood pressure levels as they undertake health changes including a proper diet and exercise.

However, for some, side effects from Benicar use are much more severe than the complications suffered by patients as a result of their elevated blood pressure.

Side effects seen with Benicar use are often of a gastrointestinal origin. Patients complain of stomach pain and chronic unrelenting diarrhea. Severe weight loss, malabsorption and malnutrition may result.

These symptoms can reflect colonic disease from Benicar, including conditions referred to as sprue-like enteropathy or villous atrophy.

Basically, sprue-like enteropathy has similar symptoms as celiac disease, but it is drug induced and is not a response to ingesting gluten. In villous atrophy, the intestinal lining is destroyed. The fingerlike projections of the intestine erode and flatten, leading to malabsorption of nutrients.

Sprue-like enteropathy symptoms appear to suggest celiac disease, a severe allergy to the protein known as gluten, found in wheat barley and rye. However, upon testing, patients test negative for this disease despite having the clinical manifestations of the condition.

These conditions can cause life-long problems, and sometimes they can require hospitalization.

If you or a loved one has suffered from colonic disease from Benicar or any other severe gastrointestinal diseases caused by the use of the blood pressure medication, you may be eligible to take legal action against the manufacturer to recover damages caused by your injury.

A Benicar attorney can review your case at no charge and can help you decide if filing a Benicar lawsuit is right for you.

Eva’s Benicar Lawsuit is filed within the Benicar MDL, In re: Benicar (Olmesartan) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2606, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, Camden Vicinage.