Blood Thinner Pradaxa Lawsuit Filed In Texas And Additional States
Jul 30, 2013
Waxahachie, TX (Law Firm Newswire) July 29, 2013 – A Texas resident has filed a lawsuit alleging that Pradaxa, a blood thinner, resulted in severe internal bleeding.
The manufacturer of Pradaxa, Boehringer Ingelheim, is facing a number of similar lawsuits alleging that their blood-thinning medication causes internal hemorrhaging and that consumers are not being adequately warned.
“Anyone experiencing any issues after taking Pradaxa should immediately speak to their doctor,” warned Waxahachie personal injury lawyer John Hale.
The lawsuit was filed this May in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas by a plaintiff who first began taking Pradaxa in early 2011. By August of 2011, the plaintiff experienced severe gastrointestinal bleeding which required emergency treatment and further hospitalization.
His lawsuit contends that the manufacturer, Boehringer Ingelheim, either knew or should have known that Pradaxa could cause excessive internal hemorrhaging. He alleges that he was not warned of the danger of internal bleeding when his prescription was filled, echoing numerous other claims from additional plaintiffs against the Pradaxa manufacturer.
Sales of Pradaxa have exceeded one billion dollars since it first reached the market in 2011. The projected sales of Pradaxa for 2013 is in excess of $600,000,000. Boehringer Ingelheim has widely promoted Pradaxa as an effective alternative to the more widely-known blood thinner Warfarin. Warfarin use requires frequent dose adjustments and blood monitoring.
During the time that more than 270,000 Pradaxa prescriptions were written, between March 2011 and October 2012, more than 930 people experienced “adverse events” as reported to the FDA, including 120 deaths and at least 500 cases of severe internal bleeding. More than 850 additional adverse events were reported in the following three months, including 117 deaths. One of the complaints about Pradaxa is that the side effects warnings vary by region and plaintiffs allege that stricter warnings are in place outside the United States. A lower dosage is recommended where Pradaxa is prescribed for elderly patients in New Zealand. Pradaxa in Japan includes a “black box warning” which alert patients that they may face severe hemorrhaging with use.
Currently, more than 200 lawsuits are pending against Boehringer Ingelheim, and more than 4,000 lawsuits regarding Pradaxa bleeding issues are expected to be filed in both federal and state courts in coming months.
John Hale is a Waxahachie personal injury lawyer and Ellis County personal injury lawyer helping injury victims near Dallas, Texas. Learn more at The Hale Law Firm
The Hale Law Firm
100 Executive Court, Suite 3
Waxahachie, TX 75165
Call: 888.425.3911
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