An Oklahoma man recently filed a Benicar lawsuit linking Benicar and gastrointestinal injuries, alleging that Daiichi Sankyo failed to warn about the risk.

The plaintiff, Thomas D., claimed damages on account of both the gastrointestinal injuries to himself and economic losses.

According to the Benicar lawsuit, Thomas D. began taking Benicar at the direction of his doctor in February 2005.

However, after beginning Benicar intake, Thomas allegedly suffered from a series of severe gastrointestinal injuries including celiac disease, villous atrophy, sprue-like enteropathy, colitis, malabsorption, malnutrition, dehydration, atrophy, chronic diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and weight loss.

These symptoms were not only painful, the lawsuit claims, but required multiple hospitalizations, tests and treatment.

Thomas D. filed his lawsuit over Benicar and gastrointestinal injuries on multiple counts including defective design, failure to warn, negligence, fraudulent concealment and violation of state consumer protection laws of Oklahoma, among others.

Benicar Background

Benicar (olmesartan medoxomil) is an extremely popular and widely used hypertension drug, and is manufactured and distributed by Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. Benicar was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002 to treat hypertension.

Benicar is one of a variety of olmesartan drugs currently available on the drug market. Other olmesartan products used across the country include Benicar HCT, Azor and Tribenzor.

These olmesartan drugs have become increasingly popular since their approval. Indeed, nearly 2 million people in the United States were filling olmesartan prescriptions each year by 2012, only 10 years since their initial approval.

Benicar and Gastrointestinal Injuries

Despite the popularity of olmesartan drugs like Benicar, the drug has actually been linked to a variety of gastrointestinal complications.

The link between Benicar and gastrointestinal injuries, for instance, has been noted in a variety of studies, complaints and lawsuits. For some, these complications are mild and go away on their own without further treatment.

For others, however, these side effects can be quite severe, affecting their lives significantly and sometimes requiring medical treatment, as in the case of Thomas D.

In response to the growing connections being made between Benicar and gastrointestinal injuries, the FDA has issued a drug warning. The FDA warning came on July 3, 2013, noting that Benicar and gastrointestinal injuries share a link.

The FDA also approved a warning label that would have an updated list of side effects, including these gastrointestinal injuries.

Benicar Lawsuits

Benicar lawsuits like this claim that Daiichi Sankyo either knew or should have known that Benicar causes bowel problems in some users, some of which may be severe.

However, the pharmaceutical company failed to adequately warn both the public and the medical community about the link between Benicar and gastrointestinal injuries, lawsuits claim.

Plaintiffs allege that, had Daiichi Sankyo given adequate warning of the link between Benicar and gastrointestinal injuries, they would have chosen a safer alternative to Benicar.

Though filing a Benicar lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering experienced by some Benicar users because of these side effects, it can help to compensate for financial expenses that may have been incurred by these problems.

If you or someone you love has taken Benicar or a similar olmesartan drug and since suffered from gastrointestinal injuries, you may be able to file a Benicar lawsuit.

The Benicar Lawsuit is filed in the larger Benicar MDL in the U.S. District Court for the Camden Vicinage of the District of New Jersey.