Blood thinning medications are often used by people in Texas who suffer from heart diseases and other medical conditions that could lead to blood clots. However, recent legal claims alleged that a specific blood thinner, Xarelto, lacked warnings that the drug could be dangerous.
Drug giants Bayer and Johnson & Johnson recently reached a $775 million settlement that resolved approximately 25,000 claims regarding the blood thinner medication, Xarelto. The plaintiffs in the lawsuits alleged that the companies did not provide an adequate warning that the drug could cause fatal bleeding. Because the companies jointly sell the drug, each will be 50 percent responsible for paying the settlement costs.
One attorney to the case stated that the settlement was “fair and just.” The drug companies, however, claimed that they were not liable for the deaths of those who took the drugs. They allege that they settled due to the fact that such complex dangerous drug litigation would demand too much in the way of the companies’ time and financial resources. The companies will apparently keep selling Xarelto.
Xarelto became popular because it did not require the frequent blood tests that other blood thinning medications did. The plaintiffs to the claims against Xarelto claimed that the drug could lead to strokes and massive bleeding that, until recently when an antidote was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, could not be controlled by standard treatments. The plaintiffs noted that previous legal claims regarding Xarelto called into question whether there were flaws in the testing of the drug, because a monitor that was used in clinical trials was subsequently discovered to be faulty. However, the FDA later concluded that the issues regarding the monitor had no effect on the outcome of these lawsuits.
While this settlement may be good news to those who were harmed by Xarelto, it remains to be seen if the drug is truly safe. Dangerous drug litigation can be very complex, so sometimes it is worthwhile to settle such claims. However, if a person pursuing dangerous drug litigation does not feel that an adequate settlement can be reached, a trial may be necessary. Attorneys understand how to handle such cases and can advocate for their clients both in settlement negotiations and in court if necessary.
