A Kentucky man recently filed a Xarelto side effects lawsuit against Janssen Pharmaceuticals, alleging that the blood thinning drug caused serious complications including phimosis and rectal bleeding.

The plaintiff, Fred R., began taking Xarelto in April 2013 in order to treat atrial fibrillation. However, less than a year later, he began experiencing severe complications.

According to the Xarelto side effects lawsuit, Fred suffered from severe phimosis and bleeding in February 2015. Phimosis is essentially a condition in which the foreskin of the penis cannot be pulled back, and can also include serious swelling. While for some, the condition is not generally painful while the penis is not erect, in Fred’s case, it even led to bleeding. Then, in May 2016, he began experiencing serious rectal bleeding. These injuries, the Xarelto side effects lawsuit says, eventually required hospitalization.

The Xarelto side effects lawsuit was filed on multiple counts, including strict liability, manufacturing defect, design defect, failure to warn, negligence, breach of express and implied warranties, and fraud, among several others.

Xarelto Background

Xarelto (also known by its generic name, rivaroxaban) is one of the more popular blood thinner drugs currently available. Xarelto is manufactured by Janssen, which is a prominent subsidiary of pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson, Xarelto was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just in July 2011. Its primary purpose is to treat deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, and has also been approved to reduce the risk of stroke and systemic embolism in at-risk patients.

In general, blood clots must be prevented, but in some instances, this clotting can actually perform a life-saving function. In extreme internal bleeding situations, the body uses blood clotting to slow the bleeding, which can prevent a person from losing too much blood.

However, a person taking a blood thinner like Xarelto is in much more danger. Unable to form these life-saving blood clots, the body has no other way of slowing the bleeding, increasing the risk of permanent injury or even death.

Filing a Xarelto Side Effects Lawsuit

This Xarelto side effects lawsuit and others like it allege that Janssen had knowledge of the bleeding complications linked with its drug for years, yet failed to warn either the patients or the medical community about these risks, placing countless patients in danger for the sake of profit.

If you or someone you love has experienced severe or even fatal complications of Xarelto, you may be able to file a Xarelto side effects lawsuit.

Of course, filing a Xarelto side effects lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering of someone who has suffered from these Xarelto complications, and cannot bring a loved one back to life. However, a Xarelto side effects lawsuit can at least help to compensate for the financial expenses often incurred by medical bills and lost wages.

The Xarelto Side Effects Lawsuit is Case No. 2:17-cv-06924-EEF-MBN, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.