Another plaintiff has filed a Xarelto claim against the drug’s manufacturer, Janssen, alleging the blood thinner led to serious side effects, including gastrointestinal bleeding.

The plaintiff, Alan J., is a Nebraska resident. Alan began taking Xarelto in March 2015 at the direction of his doctor. However, after he started taking the popular blood thinner, Alan alleges he suffered from a number of serious complications including hemoptysis, melena, gastrointestinal bleeding, and blood loss anemia.

The Xarelto claim alleges that these side effects occurred as a direct result of taking Xarelto. These injuries were life-threatening, and they led to a five-day hospital stay, multiple blood transfusions, and extensive treatment. The injuries also incurred a number of medical expenses and lost wages, as well as loss of consortium, according to the Xarelto claim.

According to the Xarelto lawsuit, Janssen failed to adequately warn patients and the medical community about Xarelto life-threatening bleeding risks and other serious dangers associated with the anticoagulant.

The Xarelto claim was filed on multiple counts, including strict liability, manufacturing defect, design defect, failure to warn, negligence, breach of express and implied warranties, fraud, and others. Alan filed his Xarelto claim on Jan. 5, 2018 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Background of Xarelto

Xarelto (also known by its generic name, rivaroxaban) is a popular blood thinner option. Blood thinners are also known as anticoagulants, and are used to prevent blood clotting and clot-related conditions, such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.

Xarelto is manufactured by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, which is a prominent subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.  The drug was only recently introduced to the blood thinner market, first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July 2011.

Xarelto’s primary function is to prevent blood clots and clot-related conditions; in general, this is a benefit, since blood clots are mostly detrimental. However, clotting has one specific use that, in some cases, can actually be life-saving.

During bleeding emergencies, the body forms blood clots to stem the bleeding. But a person taking an anticoagulant like Xarelto may experience difficulty with this, their body unable to properly form these life-saving clots. This can increase a patient’s risk of bleeding out, permanent injury or, in some cases, even death.

Filing a Xarelto Claim

Lawsuits filed over Xarelto claim that that Janssen Pharmaceuticals was actually aware of the serious bleeding risk associated with their anticoagulant for years. However, lawsuits claim, the manufacturer failed to adequately warn either patients or the medical community about these risks, placing company profit over patient safety. Furthermore, Janssen even over-promoted Xarelto given its risks, the lawsuit notes.

This Xarelto claim and others like it allege that Janssen had knowledge of the life-threatening bleeding risks linked with Xarelto for years, yet failed to warn the patients and the medical community about these risks.

If you or someone you love has suffered from Xarelto internal bleeding or another Xarelto claim, you may be able to file a Xarelto lawsuit. While filing a Xarelto lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering from these Xarelto complications, or bring a loved one back to life, it can at least help to compensate for the financial expenses often incurred by medical bills and lost wages.

The Xarelto Claim Lawsuit is Case No. 2:18-cv-00169-EEF-MBN, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.