A Michigan husband and wife filed a lawsuit against Janssen Pharmaceuticals, alleging that its medication Xarelto caused extreme Xarelto bleeding problems.

According to the complaint, the plaintiff, Bentley B., began taking Xarelto in August 2013 at the direction of his doctor, but in April 2014 suffered from severe Xarelto bleeding problems. Bentley alleges that these Xarelto bleeding problems caused injuries involving physical pain and suffering, as well as medical, hospital and surgical expenses.

The Xarelto bleeding problems lawsuit was filed on multiple counts, including strict liability, manufacturing defect, design defect, failure to warn, negligence, breach of express and implied warranties, fraud and several others. Bentley’s wife Genevieve also filed a claim for loss of consortium.

Xarelto Basics

Xarelto (also known by its generic name, rivaroxaban) is a fairly new blood thinning drug and was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on July 1, 2011. Xarelto is manufactured and distributed by Janssen Pharmacetuicals, a prominent subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.

Xarelto belongs to a class of drugs called New Oral Anticoagulants, or NOACs. Similar drugs include Pradaxa and Eliquis. These NOACs are marketed as new replacement anticoagulants for the dominant blood thinner, warfarin (Coumadin). Warfarin has been the main anticoagulant on the market for over 60 years.

Xarelto is prescribed for the treatment of blood clots and conditions related to this kind of clotting. Blood clots can be very dangerous and in some cases can be fatal, so blood thinners are a fairly common medication. Xarelto especially has gained in popularity since its release onto the market in 2011.

Xarelto Bleeding Problems

Despite Xarelto’s popularity, a growing number of Xarelto lawsuits are being filed over the drug’s side effects. According to these claims, Janssen knew that there were potential dangerous side effects of Xarelto, including Xarelto bleeding problems, but failed to adequately warn both consumers and the medical community about these risks, placing patients at serious risk of injury or even death.

In extreme situations like an accident, emergency surgery or internal bleeding, the body forms blood clots in order to slow bleeding. Patients taking a blood thinner like Xarelto, however, may be unable to form these life-saving clots in these kinds of situations. Without an available antidote, patients may die from an injury that would otherwise have been treatable.

Filing a Lawsuit Over Xarelto Bleeding Problems

Filing a Xarelto lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering of someone who has experienced Xarelto bleeding problems and cannot bring a loved one back to life. However, a Xarelto lawsuit can at least help to compensate for the financial expenses often incurred by medical bills and lost wages.

If you or someone you love has experienced severe Xarelto bleeding problems, or even death caused by Xarelto, you may be able to file a Xarelto lawsuit.

The Xarelto Bleeding Problems Lawsuit is Case No. 2:17-cv-02938, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.