Boehringer Ingelheim is continuing to fight against internal bleeding allegations as patients continue to seek out their own Pradaxa attorney to help them seek compensation.

Even though the German pharmaceutical giant has already paid out $650 million in settlements over Pradaxa lawsuits in 2014, Boehringer Ingelheim is trying to escape a Pradaxa wrongful death lawsuit scheduled for trial this month.

According to the Pradaxa attorney involved in the lawsuit, it would be the first federal Pradaxa lawsuit.

Boehringer Ingelheim is trying to dismiss the claim before it goes to trial, stating that the Pradaxa warning label was adequate.

The family filing legal action argues against the claim, stating their loved one died in direct result of Pradaxa internal bleeding and that the warning label was inadequate.

Pradaxa and other anticoagulants work by inhibiting the body’s clotting mechanism, which improves overall circulation. However, this also prevents the body from being able to recover from simple internal bleeding injuries.

While there is a now a Pradaxa reversal agent, Praxbind, available at hospitals, that was not the case for many years.

The plaintiff’s family sought out a specialized Pradaxa attorney, stating the reversal agent was not available and that the drug’s warning label was insufficient, causing the death of their loved one.

Overview of Pradaxa Bleeding Lawsuit

The family of Zhensheng L. had sought out their own Pradaxa attorney after Zhensheng died in November 2012. According to their Pradaxa lawsuit, an internal bleeding injury occurred from a fall and he was unable to recover from it.

Zhensheng had started taking Pradaxa in early 2011, soon after the drug was released by the FDA, to help reduce the chances of blood clot injuries. Pradaxa was the first drug to be released for anticoagulant treatment purposes since Warfarin in the 1950s.

The drug was released in 2010 by Boehringer Ingelheim, and is typically prescribed to patients with atrial fibrillation and who are at high risk for stroke. Pradaxa quickly became popular among patients for its single dose prescription, which does not require frequent doctor visits for dose adjustments, unlike older coagulants like warfarin.

However internal bleeding injury reports were soon submitted, with patients alleging their Pradaxa prescription was the cause. Zhengsheng’s family alleges there was no possibility of internal bleeding injuries mentioned on the drug’s warning label.

Other Pradaxa lawsuits are currently pending in Connecticut and Missouri state courts, alleging Pradaxa’s warning label is inadequate.

Zhengsheng’s Pradaxa attorney had produced an affidavit from an expert witness who criticized Pradaxa’s warning label. Boehringer Ingelheim has argued against these claims, stating its motion for summary judgment on Pradaxa warnings for very clear and that excessive Pradaxa use could be potentially fatal.

Boehringer also argues that at the time of Zhengsheng’s prescription, the drug’s label stated there was no reversal agent at the time.

Furthermore, Boehringer claims that the allegations brought forward by the family and expert witness was preempted by federal law.

If you or someone you love suffered Pradaxa induced injury, a Pradaxa attorney may be able to help.

The Pradaxa Wrongful Death Lawsuit is Case No. 14-cv-13234-WGY, in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts.