Xarelto Side Effects Attorneys
In 2011, prescription drug manufacturer Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, introduced a prescription anticoagulant to the market under the brand name Xarelto. Like other anticoagulants, Xarelto is designed to prevent blood clots or stop existing clots from getting larger in order to reduce the risk of stroke or heart attack.
Issues Facing Xarelto Users
Xarelto was initially prescribed to patients recovering from knee and hip replacement surgery because they are at risk of developing blood clots in their legs, a condition known as deep vein thrombosis. Unlike other anticoagulants, Xarelto was marketed as a one-size-fits-all medication to prevent blood clotting. According to marketing materials, another benefit of Xarelto was that it could be taken once daily without periodic blood monitoring, whereas other anticoagulants are taken in smaller doses multiple times per day and require strict blood monitoring to prevent uncontrolled bleeding. Xarelto marketing materials failed to disclose that in the event of uncontrolled bleeding, there is no known antidote.
Use of the drug expanded to include patients with an irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation), patients who develop blood clots in their lungs (pulmonary embolism) and other uses. Within one year after the drug was introduced to the market, at least 350 serious, disabling or fatal injuries related to consumption of Xarelto were reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The most common problems reported by patients taking Xarelto are pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis — the very injuries the drug is designed to prevent. Other patients taking Xarelto have experienced uncontrolled bleeding that requires hospitalization. Hundreds of Xarelto patients have died.
You May Be Able To Recover Damages
In 2013, the FDA required the makers of Xarelto to place additional warnings on its safety label indicating that patients who stop using Xarelto prematurely may increase the risk of blood clots. An additional warning of the increased risk of acute pulmonary embolism for patients with certain conditions was added in January 2014.
Pharmaceutical companies must ensure that their drugs are reasonably safe for use. Failure to do so may be grounds for a lawsuit. If you or someone you love has taken Xarelto and suffered from any of the side effects mentioned above, you may be able to recover compensatory and punitive damages in a products liability lawsuit. If a loved one has died from complications related to taking Xarelto, you may be able to recover compensation in a wrongful death lawsuit.
We work on a contingency basis. We don’t get paid unless you do.
Bailey Javins & Carter Can Assess Your Case
The defective products lawyers at Bailey, Javins & Carter, L.C., advocate for individuals and the families of individuals who have suffered due to taking Xarelto. We can review the facts of your case during a free consultation and advise you on how to recover compensation through a defective products lawsuit. We provide legal services in these cases on a contingency fee basis. That means you will not pay attorney fees unless we recover a financial settlement or judgment for you.
Our attorneys are broadly experienced with medical malpractice and defective products cases across West Virginia, including residents of Charleston, Huntington, Morgantown and Parkersburg. Contact our firm to schedule a free initial consultation.
