A North Carolina Xarelto lawsuit may be an option for patients who suffered serious complications after taking the medication. Xarelto, sold by Johnson & Johnson and Bayer Healthcare, is a commonly used blood thinner that treats and prevents blood clots in order to lower the risk of stroke in patients who have atrial fibrillation. The drug’s makers originally developed Xarelto to be an alternative to the widely used blood thinner, Warfarin. The drug has become the focus of numerous lawsuits, with patients alleging severe side effects from taking the drug ranging from uncontrollable bleeding to death. A North Carolina Xarelto lawsuit maybe an option for patients who have suffered uncontrollable bleeding or other complications after taking Xarelto.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for North Carolina to learn more about your options. We offer free, confidential, no obligation consultations. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a claim we can connect you with an affiliated North Carolina Xarelto lawsuit attorney.
How Does Xarelto Work?
Xarelto is frequently used to treat deep vein thrombosis (DVT), although it is also given to patients who have recently undergone hip or knee replacement surgery. DVT causes clots to form in the lower body, and these clots can travel throughout the bloodstream and sometimes make their way to the lungs. This is known as a pulmonary embolism, or a sudden blockage within the arteries of the lungs. A pulmonary embolism can lower oxygen levels in the blood, and larger clots can even cause death if immediate medical intervention is not administered.
Because patients with DVT have a higher chance of developing a pulmonary embolism, blood thinning medication is often used to prevent clots from forming. As described by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, rivaroxaban (the active ingredient in Xarelto) helps break up clots in the lower body, thereby decreasing the risk of a pulmonary embolism. This is due to rivaroxaban’s classification as an Xa inhibitor, which are drugs that inhibit the body’s natural clotting ability.
Xarelto Risks
Despite the potential benefits offered by Xarelto, patients taking this medication also face certain risks. According to the Mayo Clinic, those taking Xarelto may experience the following complications:
- Weakness in the legs
- Numbness
- Dysfunctional bowel or bladder
- Skin rash
- Paralysis
- Blurred vision
In the event of more serious side effects, medical treatment may be required to prevent further damage from occurring.
Other side effects and complications of Xarelto include:
- Abdominal bleeding
- Reduced platelet levels
- Abnormal liver function
- Brain hemorrhaging
According to court records, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received over 2,000 reports of severe side effects from Xarelto patients, approximately 1,800 of which list Xarelto as the suspected cause. The deaths of approximately 183 patients have allegedly been linked to Xarelto in reports submitted to the FDA.
Xarelto and Internal Bleeding
The most dangerous potential side effect of Xarelto is uncontrollable internal bleeding. This is a side effect in other anticoagulants, however with Xarelto there was no antidote at the time the drug was introduced that could be used to flush the drug out of the system in order to stop the bleeding. As a result, there was an increased difficulty for physicians to treat patients suffering from complications that were connected to the medication.
The FDA also issued a warning letter in 2013 claiming that drug makers violated marketing regulations when advertising the drug. The letter states that a print ad submitted by Johnson & Johnson minimized possible risks, including those related to excessive bleeding. The agency also claimed the Xarelto print ad was misleading because it stated that the drug entailed no dosage requirements. Both claims are refuted by the drug’s own product insert, and as a result, the FDA requested that the manufacturer discontinue use of ads using this language.
North Carolina Xarelto Lawsuit
As many as 2,400 cases related to the drug are pending as of February 2016. Many of these lawsuits, which allege injury or even death related to the taking of the drug, claim that the manufacturers knowingly downplayed the risks of Xarelto and marketed it as a beneficial anticoagulant alternative, despite knowing that it could cause uncontrollable bleeding.
As there is usually a statute of limitations on when you can pursue a claim, it is important that you consult with a North Carolina Xarelto lawsuit attorney to find out what your options are.
Injured Patients May Be Entitled to Compensation
Drug manufacturers have a duty to ensure their products are accompanied by full and accurate instructions and warnings to guide prescribing doctors and other health care providers in making treatment decisions. If a drug maker fails to fulfill this duty, it could be held liable in lawsuits for injuries that may result.
Patients who have been injured by Xarelto may be entitled to compensation for damages, including:
- Medical expenses
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish
- Loss of income or ability to work
If a patient dies from complications after taking Xarelto, his or her family members may be able to pursue claims for their loved one’s wrongful death. Compensation may include:
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish from the loss of a loved one
- Loss of financial support of a loved one
- Funeral expenses
Affected patients are encouraged to speak with a North Carolina Xarelto lawsuit attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
Contact Us For More Information
If you or a loved one took Xarelto and suffered complications, including internal bleeding, contact Attorney Group for North Carolina for more information. You can fill out the form on this page, call us at the number listed at the top of the page, or email us at info@attorneygroup.com.
When you contact us, an attorney will follow up with you to speak with you about your case or answer questions that you might have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
