Bayer HealthCare and Johnson & Johnson are facing a new Xarelto lawsuit from a Michigan woman alleging serious Xarelto bleeding injury. The woman claims the Xarelto bleeding injury could have been potentially fatal, and that the pharmaceutical companies failed to warn against them.

The woman filed her Xarelto lawsuit into the multidistrict litigation (MDL) against Bayer HealthCare and Johnson & Johnson, due to the similar nature of Xarelto bleeding injury mentioned in each claim.

Plaintiff Loretta L. had began taking Xarelto on Nov. 22, 2013, and is still currently taking the medication to treat potential blood clot injuries like stroke. This is typical in Xarelto treatment purposes, as patients with atrial fibrillation who are at high risk for stroke are often prescribed anticoagulants to resolve potentially clotting.

At all times relevant, Loretta had followed all Xarelto prescription instructions and did not deviate from physician advice. Even with this diligence, however, Loretta had reportedly experienced a Xarelto bleeding injury on July 16, 2014 and another one on July 2, 2015.

It was soon after these injuries occurred that Loretta learned of the potential dangerous risks with Xarelto bleeding injury.

Overview of Xarelto Bleeding Injury

Xarelto was approved by the FDA in 2011, to be an additional treatment option in the anticoagulant patient population. Like other members of its family, Xarelto works by inhibiting the body’s clotting mechanism and improves overall blood flow.

However this consequently prevents the body from naturally recovering from internal bleeding episodes, like the incidents mentioned in the Xarelto lawsuit.

Released as a joint effort between Bayer HealthCare and Johnson & Johnson, Xarelto entered the market just a year after Pradaxa.

This new generation anticoagulant was the first medication to be released for blood thinner purposes since warfarin in the 1950s. When Xarelto was released, numerous patients were alleging serious internal bleeding complications and complained the drug lacked a widely available reversal agent.

At this point in time, warfarin is the only blood thinner with an easily obtainable reversal agent in the case of internal bleeding. Pradaxa just released Praxbind, their reversal agent.  But Xarelto has none, and bleeding injury occurrences can be potentially fatal, with numerous patients opting to file legal action against the companies for allegedly downplaying the risk of internal bleeding complications.

According to the Xarelto lawsuit, Loretta had opted for the new generation anticoagulant after reviewing the marketing materials from the manufacturing companies. Loretta is filing legal action against Bayer HealthCare and Johnson & Johnson for allegedly failing to warn her against Xarelto bleeding injury.

The companies either knew or should have known the risks associated with Xarelto bleeding injury, but did not mention the severity on the medication’s warning label. Loretta’s Xarelto lawsuit is being filed in MDL No. 2592, standing alongside similar claims of Xarelto bleeding injury.

By joining the MDL, Loretta’s Xarelto lawsuit will reach different progress points in the litigation process at a faster rate and will avoid any danger of encountering duplicate evidence or conflicting rulings from different judges.

This Xarelto lawsuit is Case No. 2:17-cv-05793-EEF-MBN, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.