Xarelto, sold by Johnson & Johnson and Bayer Healthcare, is a commonly prescribed blood thinner that treats and prevents blood clots in order to lower the risk of stroke in patients who have atrial fibrillation. Xarelto has become the focus of numerous lawsuits, with patients alleging severe side effects from taking the drug ranging from uncontrollable bleeding to death. A South Carolina Xarelto lawsuit may be an option for patients who have suffered uncontrollable bleeding or other complications after taking Xarelto.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for South 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 Xarelto lawsuit attorney.
Blood Clot Dangers
According to Health Line, blood clots naturally in order to prevent the loss of too much blood from a cut or injury. Typically, these naturally-occurring clots dissolve on their own, but when they do not, there is the risk for serious situations, including deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism or stroke. Deep vein thrombosis occurs when a blood clot develops in a major vein, generally in the legs, but also in the arms or pelvis.
If the clot remains immobile, it often does not become a problem, but if it travels through the body into the heart or lungs, it can get trapped and prevent blood from flowing. When this occurs in the lungs, it is called a pulmonary embolism. A stroke is caused when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in the brain. This causes the brain to loose blood flow and can lead to serious neuropathic injury and even death.
How Does Xarelto Work?
Xarelto is an anticoagulant that was introduced in 2011. The drug’s makers originally developed Xarelto to be an alternative to the widely used blood thinner, Warfarin. The purpose of the drug is to prevent the blood from clotting, lowering the chances of the development of life-threatening clots. According to the drug’s manufactures, Xarelto works by blocking a specific enzyme that the body uses to produce clots, unlike warfarin, which interferes with the nutrient vitamin K.
Doctors typically prescribe this medication to patients who have recently undergone surgery; who have atrial fibrillation, when blood pools in the heart; or who have a history of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism.
Complications Associated With Xarelto
While warfarin requires close monitoring and a diet low in vitamin K to prevent interference with the drug’s effectiveness, doctors can also stop blood from flowing by injecting a patient with a vitamin k antidote. Xarelto, on the other hand, had no antidote when it entered the market, and has been linked to a number of deaths caused by serious internal bleeding that was unable to be stopped.
According to WebMD, potential side effects associated with Xarelto use include persistent or frequent nosebleeds, coughing up blood, severe headache, pink or dark urine, bloody stool or vomit, or unusual bruising. When these side effects occur in patients, it is likely that an uncontrolled bleed may be the cause.
Xarelto FDA Warning
In 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent Xarelto’s manufacturers a warning letter following numerous adverse event reports of uncontrolled internal bleeding received by the agency. The manufacturers were asked to change the drug’s labeling to better reflect the risks associated with taking the medication. The letter also stated that the print ads released by the companies were misleading, since they downplayed the seriousness of the potential side effects.
South Carolina Xarelto Lawsuit
Although there are currently no class action suits for Xarelto, there has been a multidistrict litigation started that has nearly 3000 cases related to the drug as of March 2015. 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 South 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
- The permanency of the injury
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish
- Loss of income or ability to work
If a patient dies from complications after taking Xarelto, family members may be entitled to compensation for the wrongful death of their loved one, including:
- Conscious pain and suffering of a loved one prior to death
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish from the loss of a loved one
- Funeral expenses
Patients who have suffered severe side effects after taking Xarelto, as well as the families of those who have died as a result of complications with the drug, are encouraged to seek the advice of a South Carolina Xarelto lawsuit attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
The Time You Have to Pursue a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for South Carolina. 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.
See our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information, and contact Attorney Group for South Carolina today.
