Seattle Woman Sues Bayer after Suffering Yaz Blood Clot Stroke

Dawn Korver feels duped by Bayer, the drug manufacturer behind the wildly popular Yasmin birth control pills. She filed a Yaz lawsuit against the company on September 25, 2013, joining many other women who became victims of Yaz blood clot injuries. 

This Seattle woman, like many other young women, saw advertisements for Yaz birth control promising a better sex life, clearer skin and an effective form of birth control with almost no side effects. Korver claims she wasn’t warned that Yasmin could lead to fatal blood clots, dangerous deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism. She also says she had no idea that she would be one of the many victims of a Yaz blood clot. Korver suffered a stroke on or about September 27, 2010, which was allegedly caused by Yaz side effects.

“Yasmin, Yaz, and Ocella are different from other combined hormonal birth control pills in that they contain drospirenone, a progestin that is unlike other progestins available in the United States and was never before marketed in the United States prior to its use in Yasmin,” the Yaz lawsuit states.

The FDA took note of the over-promotion and under-warning of Yasmin side effects, requiring Bayer to correct advertising. “The FDA’s warning letter continued by stating that the advertisement failed ‘to communicate that the potential to increase potassium is a risk’ or that ‘increased serum potassium can be dangerous.’” 

Bayer was forced to spend about $20 million on corrective advertising, yet it wasn’t enough to prevent Korver’s stroke. “As a result of Defendants’ claim regarding the effectiveness and safety of Yasmin, Yaz and Ocella, Plaintiff Dawn Korver’s medical provider prescribed and Dawn Korver began using Yasmin, Yaz and/or Ocella in or about March 2009. Dawn Korver used Yaz, Yasmin, and/or Ocella until September 27, 2010 when she suffered a stroke as a result of her ingestion of Yaz, Yasmin and/or Ocella,” the Yaz lawsuit says.

Her doctor wasn’t made aware of the many Yaz risks, so Korver was also kept in the dark. Instead of protecting their consumers, she says that Bayer was only after profits. “Had Dawn Korver and/or her heath care providers known the risks and dangers associated with Yasmin, Yaz and/or Ocella, she would not have used Yasmin, Yaz and/or Ocella and would not have suffered a stroke on or about September 27, 2010,” the lawsuit says. 

Bringing Down the Giant

“As a direct and proximate result of her use of Yasmin, Yaz and/or Ocella, Plaintiff Dawn Korver suffered physical injury, including but not limited to, conscious pain and suffering, as a result of her stroke,” the Yaz lawsuit says.

Korver is suing Bayer for defective manufacturing, defective design, defect due to inadequate warnings, products liability, negligence, breach of warranty, negligent misrepresentation and fraud, unjust enrichment, false advertising and punitive damages.

Korver says that Bayer “knew of Yasmin, Yaz and Ocella’s defective and unreasonably dangerous nature, as set forth herein, but continued to design, develop, manufacture, market, distribute and sell it so as to maximize sales and profits at the health and safety of the public, including Plaintiff, in conscious and/or reckless disregard of the foreseeable harm caused by Yasmin, Yaz and Ocella. Defendants fraudulently, intentionally, and/or recklessly concealed and failed to disclose to the public, including Plaintiff, the potentially life threatening side effects of Yasmin, Yaz and Ocella in order to ensure continued and increased sales.”

She’s seeking “double or triple damages” as appropriate by law as well as tertiary fees like court costs. 

The Yaz lawsuit is Dawn Korver v. Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals, et. al., MDL No. 2100, the United States District Court Southern District of Illinois.

Were You Hurt by Yaz?

Did you give Yaz a try and suffered a clot-related incident? If so, you may have a Yasmin legal claim. Learn more about what you can do at the Yaz/Yasmin, Beyaz & Ocella Birth Control Pill Class Action Lawsuit Settlement & Investigation site today. After you submit your information, an attorney will contact you if you qualify for a free Yaz claim review.