Young Woman Files Lawsuit Versus Organon for Severe NuvaRing Injuries

Ursula Crews thought she found the perfect contraception when her doctor told her about NuvaRing. However, she soon discovered that NuvaRing side effects can be dangerous, prompting her to file a NuvaRing lawsuit on August 29, 2013.

The Florida resident counted on NuvaRing from 2007-2009. In September 2009, she sustained “a right Cephalic Vein Thrombus” allegedly as a direct result of NuvaRing. While oral contraception pills have been linked to clots since the 1960s, she wasn’t aware that NuvaRing, which releases tiny amounts of hormones, has the same risks because the warnings weren’t adequate. According to her complaint, her doctor and the medical staff never told her about the NuvaRing side effects, and there was no comprehensive information on any of the packaging.

Crews claims that she sustained “severe and permanent personal injuries, pain, suffering and emotional distress.” Organon, the makers of NuvaRing, are facing a slew of NuvaRing class action lawsuits as more and more incidents like Crews’ are coming to light.

When Crews was diagnosed with her NuvaRing problem, she was immediately hospitalized because clots and embolisms can be deadly if not treated in time. She was “immediately placed on anticoagulation therapy, including Warfarin and Coumadin.” Her pain is described as “excruciating” and there were times during her hospitalization where she feared for her life. Other women like Crews didn’t receive help in time and paid for their NuvaRing with their life. She says that the entire time she was on NuvaRing, Organon knew about the hazards but chose to keep them hidden.

When it first came on the market, NuvaRing was touted as the first, one of a kind vaginal device. Women only need to leave the device in (much like a diaphragm, but it can be left in) for three weeks, then removed for one week to allow for a menstrual cycle, then replaced by a new NuvaRing. It seems pretty simple, and it was a less invasive option than the intrauterine device (IUD) for women who didn’t want to think about a pill every day. However, Crews says that Organon “failed to properly disclose the known safety hazards” associated with the device, making her unable to make an informed decision about her own health.

“The package insert accompanying the NuvaRing stated that the vaginal ring is expected to be associated with similar risk to that of birth control pills and that the safety information they provide to consumers is derived primarily from the studies of birth control pills,” the complaint stated.

However, all birth control pills work a little differently. For example, third generation birth control pills are linked heavily to blood clots and related issues, while other generations are not. “Therefore, the safety information provided to the consumer was not derived primarily from studies of the NuvaRing,” the complaint reads. She also stressed that she would have not taken the chance just for the convenience of the device.

Crews was also required follow-up care which costs time and money. Exams, appointments and medications can quickly add up, and hospitalization is never cheap even when a person has insurance. This isn’t what Crews signed up for, and she says she never received fair warning about what she might have to face. 

Worth the Risk?

There are a number of contraception options on the market, and Crews believes there’s no reason such a dangerous option like NuvaRing should be there—or at least not without proper warning. Pain and swelling accompanied her symptoms, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes there are no symptoms of a blood clot at all and the NuvaRing victims don’t find out until it’s too late. By filing a lawsuit, Crews is not only seeking compensation she deserves but also hoping to bring light the dangers of this device.

She’s suing Organon for negligence, products liability, breach of warranty, fraudulent misrepresentation, fraudulent concealment, negligent misrepresentation, fraud and deceit, and will receive a trial by jury. Compensatory and punitive damages are being sought, as well as attorney and court fees. She’s joining many other women who had similar experiences.

Like others, Crews luckily made it out of her NuvaRing experience alive and is now all too aware of the hidden side of drug companies.

The case is Ursula Crews v. Organon USA Inc. et. al., Case No.: 1:13-cv-02256-JDW-TGW, the United States District Middle District of Florida.

Did You Try NuvaRing?

Were you tempted by NuvaRing and ended up with a clot related issue? If this happened to you, you might have a NuvaRing legal claim. Learn more about your options by visiting the NuvaRing Birth Control Class Action Lawsuit Settlement & Investigation site today. After submitting your information, an attorney will contact you if you have a case for a free NuvaRing claim review.