A Xarelto bleeding incident nearly killed an Illinois man, according to a Xarelto lawsuit.

Plaintiff Richard L. began taking the drug in May 2013, according to his Xarelto bleeding lawsuit, which noted that he took the drug in accordance with the physician’s instruction. Less than a month later, Richard L. developed a life-threatening gastrointestinal bleeding event, the lawsuit said.

Over the course of the treatment, detailed in his Xarelto bleeding lawsuit, Richard L. required several transfusions and days of emergency medical treatment. Among the allegations in the Xarelto bleeding lawsuit is that the makers of the drug are aware that Xarelto is more dangerous than alternatives.

Older anticoagulants like Wafarin and related drugs have a known “reversal agent,” a second drug that can effectively shut down the anticoagulant in the event of an uncontrolled bleeding incident. For example, if a patient on Warfarin has an uncontrolled bleeding event, doctors can administer a very high dose of vitamin K that can block the drug’s effect, stopping the bleeding.

However, drugs like Wafarin are off-patent, meaning there’s a smaller profit margin. Allegedly, this has led to drug makers promoting new drugs like Xarelto aggressively, despite the existence of safer alternatives.

This Xarelto lawsuit seeks to recoup the cost of emergency medical care, as well as lost income from the time spent in emergency medical care. The Xarelto lawsuit also seeks to recoup legal fees related to the cost of the suit, and other damages. Certain types of lawsuits can seek damages not intended to compensate the victim, but to punish offenders and discourage further misconduct.

Xarelto is a blood thinner, or anticoagulant. This type of drug works by interfering with the body’s ability to form blood clots. While blood clotting is a normal part of the healing process under ideal conditions, the process can misfire. When this process goes wrong, an errant blood clot can form within the body, blocking the blood supply to vital organs and tissues.

If this happens in the brain, it can cause strokes. It if happens in the heart, it can cause a type of heart attack called a myocardial infarction. For patients at risk for stroke and related conditions, drugs like Xarelto are designed to lessen blood’s ability to form clots to decrease the likelihood of errant blood clots.

However, all anticoagulants carry the risk of uncontrolled bleeding events, like pulmonary bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, and other medical emergencies. When a patient experiences an alleged Xarelto bleeding event, they can bleed to death from very minor injuries.

The Xarelto Lawsuit is Case No. 1276, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, East Saint Louis Division.