$650 million settlement in Pradaxa lawsuit cases
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Most prescription drugs have known side effects. This is not a surprise to the public. However, pharmaceutical companies are legally and ethically required to disclose all such side effects in an effort to prevent serious complications for patients who take their medications. Oregon patients have the right to trust in this level of security. When this does not happen, the need to seek compensation through either medical malpractice or product liability lawsuits may arise.
That is exactly what thousands of people across the United States did after suffering injuries or the loss of loved ones due to risks associated with the blood thinner Pradaxa. Between the time the drug was approved by the Federal Drug Administration in 2010 and the following year, more than 540 people had died from uncontrollable bleeding. Thousands more suffered bleeding in the brain, rectum or gastro-intestinal tract.
Multidistrict litigation was commenced in this case in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois and was recently settled by the pharmaceutical manufacturers’ offer of $650 million in damages to more than 4,000 plaintiffs just before a trial was to commence. The company, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, has refused to admit guilt in the case despite the allegations of the plaintiffs which include the company’s lack of proper warning to the public, intentional lying about the drug’s safety, improper research concerning side effects and false advertising.
It can be difficult to know the difference between a normal and acceptable drug side effect and one that is the result of negligence or medical malpractice. For this reason, many people choose to consult with an attorney that has experience in this area of law. Ensuring proper protection and compensation is the right of all patients.
Source: Drugwatch.com, “Pradaxa Lawsuits and Settlements,” August 2014
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