In 2014, German drug maker Boehringer Ingelheim agreed to pay $650 million to settle approximately 4,000 Pradaxa lawsuits alleging that users suffered severe and often fatal bleeding problems after using the anticoagulant. These settled claims were part of multidistrict litigation (or MDL), that had been ongoing since April 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois before Judge David. R. Herndon. However, the company is now facing another round of cases being filed in state court in Connecticut.
Pradaxa is an anticoagulant medication used to reduce the risk of stroke and blood clots in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the controversial drug has had reports of complications including uncontrollable bleeding, which according to the lawsuits, may have been prevented had the manufacturer provided adequate warnings or identified an effective reversal agent before marketing the drug.
Meanwhile, similar litigation involving Xarelto (rivaroxaban) continues. Pursuant to the 12/14/14 order from the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, certain cases were transferred and consolidated in multidistrict litigation [an “MDL”] in the Eastern District of Louisiana and assigned to the Honorable Eldon E. Fallon for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings with the actions already pending there. The MDL is referred to as: “MDL No. 2592, In re: Xarelto [Rivaroxaban] Products Liability Litigation.” On August 1, 2016, U.S. District Court Judge Eldon E. Fallon issued Case Management Order No. 5, which describes the bellwether cases to go to trial in the Xarelto (rivaroxaban) multidistrict litigation. This litigation also involves hundreds of lawsuits from across the country alleging that individuals taking Xarelto suffered severe or fatal bleeding or other injuries. “Bellwether cases” are trials of selected representative Xarelto internal bleeding cases.
For more information about the Pradaxa or Xarelto litigation or if you or a loved one have a potential Pradaxa or Xarelto claim, contact experienced Pharmaceutical Attorney Pamela A. Borgess of BORGESS LAW, LLC at (567) 455-5955 or toll-free at (844) LAW-9144. You can also contact Borgess Law, LLC by submitting an online inquiry. Borgess Law never charges a fee for an initial consultation.