One Step Closer to a Pradaxa Lawsuit Consolidation

One Step Closer to a Pradaxa Lawsuit Consolidation

By Andrea Gressman

A series of similar lawsuits concerning the blood thinner Pradaxa have swept across the country. To date, 48 separate Pradaxa lawsuits concerning the drug have been brought before the federal courts in the United States. Since the drug’s approval by the FDA in 2010, it is estimated that more than 260 Pradaxa related deaths have occurred, and oftentimes the families have not pursued the matter in court, as the connection has not been made. In fact, widespread use of the blood thinner led to the highest number of reported drug related fatalities, according to the FDA. Sadly, little has been done to combat this tragedy – until now.

What is a Class Action Lawsuit?

A class action lawsuit is a form of lawsuit whereby a large assembly of people come together to collectively bring a claim to court against a sizable body of defendants. It differs from a standard lawsuit in the sense that although individual citizens may not receive compensation as a result of their collective action, they have a higher chance of effecting the change they wish to see in the corporation they are bringing the lawsuit against. Group litigation is proven to be more effective in dealing with large-scale impacts, and is frequently utilized in issues dealing with pharmaceuticals.

Class action lawsuits are cases primarily consisting of a group of people with similar claims suing both for their own individual benefit and to benefit the group as a whole. These lawsuits exist to solve comprehensive legal issues where one distinct problem has affected a considerable amount of people. To date, no official Pradaxa class action lawsuit has been filed against the makers of the drug. However, on July 26, 2012 the JPML (Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation) heard arguments regarding the potential consolidation of these cases on a national level. If approved, all individual Pradaxa lawsuits will be consolidated into one multidistrict litigation (MDL). A Pradaxa lawsuit MDL is different from a Pradaxa class action lawsuit because it allows each claim to remain an individual lawsuit and allows each Plaintiff to retain his or her own lawyer and receive an individual award settlement – rather than a class action settlement that is shared equally among Class Members.

Complications/Side Effects of Pradaxa

Manufactured by a German pharmaceutical company named Boehringer Ingelheim, Pradaxa is an orally-taken prescription blood thinner and anticoagulant. Unfortunately, the side effects and complications of this new drug are numerous, and have led to death in many cases. Many reports declare that individuals who have taken Pradaxa have had hemorrhages, acute renal failure, and strokes as a result of the medication. Other Pradaxa side effects include ulcers and internal bleeding.

At this point, there is no known cure for the side effects of Pradaxa, and the national effects of this medication are widely dispersed. Anticoagulants exist in effort to stop blood clots in a patient, but with Pradaxa there is no official way in which to gauge the impact of this anticoagulation. If a patient on Pradaxa suffers an injury and begins to bleed, it can be impossible to stop the bleeding because no antidote exists.

If you would like more information about filing a Pradaxa lawsuit or Pradaxa class action lawsuit, or if you or your loved ones have experienced Pradaxa side effects, there is help for you. Visit the Pradaxa Internal Bleeding Class Action Lawsuit Investigation page for more information about your options. You will be able to submit your claim to Pradaxa lawyers who understand the details of your case, and will get you the help you deserve.