Bayer, J&J to Pay $28 Million in Xarelto Lawsuit
Bayer and Johnson & Johnson have both been ordered by a Philadelphia state court jury to pay $27.8 million to an Indiana couple after the jury determined the drugmakers failed to warn of internal bleeding risks associated with the blood thinner Xarelto.
Details of the Xarelto Lawsuit
According to Reuters, the lawsuit was filed by Lynn Hartman and her husband in 2015 and marks the first successful trial verdict in litigation against Bayer and J&J over Xarelto. The drugmakers won three previous cases in federal court.
The lawsuit claimed Hartman was prescribed Xarelto to prevent strokes as a result of atrial fibrillation. She took the drug for roughly one year before being hospitalized in June 2014 with severe gastrointestinal bleeding.
The trial was the first of roughly 1,400 Xarelto cases pending in the Philadelphia court and more than 18,500 cases are pending in federal court.
The jury awarded Hartman $1.8 million in compensatory damages and $26 million in punitive damages.
Side Effects of Xarelto
Xarelto is associated with several common side effects, including:
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Nose bleeds
- Coughing up blood
- Back pain
- Numbness
- Difficulty breathing
- Fainting
Since its introduction to the market, Xarelto has been mired in controversy. Currently, there are tens of thousands of lawsuits pending against Johnson & Johnson, Bayer, and Janssen Pharmaceuticals regarding Xarelto and its link to uncontrollable bleeding. In addition, there is currently no FDA-approved antidote to Xarelto — there is no reversal agent for uncontrolled bleeding caused by the blood thinner.
Because there is no reversal agent, bleeds caused by Xarelto are oftentimes catastrophic and sometimes fatal. The lawsuits state that these pharmaceutical giants failed to sufficient warning of the deadly dangers associated with Xarelto.
Signs and symptoms of a serious bleed include:
- Nose bleeds that happen often
- Unusual gum bleeds
- Heavier than normal menstrual bleeding
- Red, pink or brown urine
- Bright red or black stools
- Coughing up blood or blood clots
- Vomiting blood (vomit looks like coffee grounds)
- Headaches
- Pain and swelling at wound sites
