A Benicar lawsuit was filed in Louisiana against Daiichi Sankyo and Forest Laboratories by a plaintiff who blamed the drug for severe sprue-like enteropathy with chronic diarrhea, substantial weight loss, and other Benicar side effects.

Plaintiff Willie J. took Benicar to treat his high blood pressure in 2003. He began to experience Benicar side effects, “including sprue-like enteropathy, including severe, chronic diarrhea with substantial weight loss, dehydration, and acute renal failure and was thus caused to sustain severe and permanent personal injuries, pain, and suffering,” said the Benicar lawsuit. Willie was not aware that these symptoms were Benicar side effects when they arose.

The Benicar lawsuit claimed that Daiichi failed to adequately test Benicar and that they knew, or should have known, about the severe sprue-like enteropathy side effects that could follow.

FDA Benicar Warning

In 2013, the FDA issued a warning stating “the blood pressure drug [Benicar] can cause intestinal problems known as sprue-like enteropathy.” The label was changed to include this warning. The label was also changed to include the fact that severe Benicar side effects may begin months or years after drug use began.

This warning was announced too late for Willie and countless other individuals who already suffered from Benicar side effects.

Willie claimed that had the defendants warned users about Benicar side effects then he never would have taken the drug. The Benicar lawsuit said that the “defendants’ failure to disclose to Plaintiff [Willie] or his prescribing physicians, through the prescribing information for [Benicar],” caused Willie and many others to suffer from severe Benicar side effects.

Benicar side effects may include sprue-like enteropathy, chronic diarrhea, weigh loss, and other intestinal side effects. Villous atrophy may also be a side effect.

Villous atrophy may cause an individual to be misdiagnosed with celiac disease as it has similar symptoms. Celiac disease requires an individuals to make major changes to their life style and can be very expensive to maintain. However, some people may have been misdiagnosed and not realize that they have a Benicar side effect and not a food allergy.

Counts in this Benicar lawsuit include violation of the Louisiana Products Liability Act, breach of warranty, failure to warn, and other claims. According to the Benicar lawsuit, Willie is seeking damages for medical expenses, physical injury, pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of earnings and earning capacity, and loss of enjoyment of life.

This Benicar Lawsuit is Case No. 3:15-cv-00099, in the U.S. District Court of the Middle District of Louisiana.