A Philadelphia jury awarded an Indiana couple $27.8 million in damages due to severe gastrointestinal bleeding while taking Xarelto. Plaintiff Lynn Hartman and her husband filed the lawsuit in 2015, one year after Lynn’s hospitalization for uncontrolled internal bleeding. Hartman, an atrial fibrillation (a-fib) patient, started taking blood thinner Xarelto in 2013 to prevent strokes. The Xarelto lawsuit settlement reached in December 2017 listed $26 million in punitive and $1.8 million in compensatory damages.
SEC Filing Reveals 27% Growth in Xarelto Lawsuit Settlement Claims
More than 25,000 additional plaintiffs filed lawsuits against Xarelto’s manufacturers, Johnson & Johnson and Bayer (who jointly developed the drug). But all six Xarelto bellwether trials resulted in favorable rulings for both drug manufacturing companies. Hartman’s verdict was the first win for plaintiffs who joined the federal Xarelto MDL. While claims vary, most allege Xarelto’s manufacturers failed to adequately warn consumers about the drug’s dangers, including potentially fatal bleeds. According to the FDA’s adverse event reporting system, at least 370 deaths are now linked to Xarelto. Including any wrongful death suits filed for deceased victims, Xarelto lawsuit settlement claims rose 27% for 2017.
Former FDA Chief Testifies In Xarelto Lawsuit Settlement Case
Former U.S. Food and Drug Administration Chief David Kessler testified on Hartman’s behalf before the Philadelphia Common Pleas Court jury. During Hartman’s trial, Kessler stated that Xarelto’s warning label understated the drug’s bleeding risks. He also testified that J&J’s subsidiary, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, failed to warn doctors about higher bleed out risks for certain patients. Interestingly, in October 2016, the FDA issued updated information regarding the 2011 Xarelto ROCKET AF clinical trials. Despite a recent recall involving a faulty monitoring device used during these trials, the FDA reaffirmed Xarelto’s safety profile. The document also shows, however, that 5.6 in every 1,000 Xarelto patients (5.6%) experiences severe, uncontrolled bleeding.
Hartman, who later recovered from her injuries, required four blood transfusions to counteract Xarelto’s blood-thinning effects. Unlike other anticoagulant medications (like warfarin and Pradaxa), Xarelto had no antidote for a decade. This put patients at risk for bleeding out until May 2018, when the FDA approved reversal agent AndexXa. Prior to that, thousands of Xarelto patients suffered potentially fatal bleed complications.
Bayer, J&J Overturn Xarelto Lawsuit Settlement on Appeal
Bayer officials issued a statement saying there was “no basis” for the verdict that resulted in Hartman’s Xarelto lawsuit settlement. Both Bayer and J&J sought to overturn the ruling and $27.8 million Xarelto lawsuit settlement. And it’s easy to see why: In 2018, Xarelto was Bayer’s best-selling pharmaceutical product, earning $4.11 billion globally. Janssen’s parent company, Johnson & Johnson, reported $4 billion in Xarelto revenue for 2018 in U.S. sales alone.
After the first May Xarelto bellwether trial ruled in the defense’s favor, Bloomberg interviewed plaintiff Joseph Boudreaux’s lawyer, Gerald Meunier. “We never expected the struggle to be an easy one,” Meunier acknowledged. “We realize Bayer and Janssen have a lot of resources and a lot of motivation to protect Xarelto.”
Bayer, J&J Agree to Pay $775 Million Xarelto Lawsuit Settlement in 2019
If you or a loved one experienced severe bleeding episodes while taking Xarelto, you may qualify for a cash settlement. To see in just minutes if you may qualify for compensation, fill out your free Xarelto claim evaluation form today. In May 2019, Bayer and J&J agreed to pay a $775 million Xarelto lawsuit settlement. While neither company admitted liability, the pair will split payments in order to settle over 25,000 claims still pending nationwide. This puts aside tens of thousands in damages to pay qualified claimants. Time to claim your part of the settlement money is limited, so don’t wait! Get your free online claim review here in just minutes today.
Related: Filing a Xarelto Injury Claim