O’Connor, Acciani & Levy Investigating Injury and Death Claims After Pradaxa Manufacturer Boehringer Agrees to $650 Million Settlement
Columbus, Ohio (PRWEB) June 03, 2014 -- O’Connor, Acciani & Levy, an Ohio pharmaceutical litigation firm, continue to investigate claims regarding Pradaxa, a blood thinner manufactured by German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH.
According to a Bloomberg report published on May 28, Boehringer has agreed to pay $650 million to settle approximately 4,000 Pradaxa lawsuits. The settlement would give each claimant approximately $162,500.
The plaintiffs suing Pradaxa allege that the company knew the drug posed excessive risks and failed to warn consumers of the dangers. The May 28 report by Bloomberg also states that after Pradaxa was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2010, doctors and patients began reporting severe bleeding complications. By 2011, the FDA had received reports of 542 deaths and 3,781 reports of serious side-effects.
An additional report by Reuters on May 28 noted that Pradaxa is part of a new class of medicines meant to be used as an alternative to warfarin, an older blood thinner that is supposed to prevent strokes caused by blood clots. This type of drug is usually prescribed to patients suffering from atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat.
The settlement announcement was made one week after the company announced that a new analysis used to win FDA approval of Pradaxa did not include 22 additional serious bleeding events, according to the Bloomberg report published on May 28. Additionally, further documentation produced in court suggested that Boehringer did not disclose to U.S. regulators that the drug may have caused more fatal bleeding events than was previously reported.
Bloomberg reported on December 10, 2013, that Boehringer was ordered to pay $931,000 in sanctions for acting in bad faith and destroying evidence regarding Pradaxa’s development and marketing. Although the sanctions may have influenced the drug manufacturer’s decision to settle, Boehringer maintains that they committed no wrongdoing. The company has said they continue to stand behind Pradaxa and that the lawsuits have no merit, they insist that they are settling the claims to avoid lengthy and protracted litigation.
O’Connor, Acciani & Levy is offering free consultations to anyone who has suffered an adverse event after taking Pradaxa. Families who have lost a loved one due to fatal bleeding after using Pradaxa may be entitled to file a wrongful death claim. To contact O’Connor, Acciani & Levy, call (877)288-3241 or visit http://www.oal-law.com to get connected with an experienced dangerous drug lawyer.
About O’Connor, Acciani & Levy
For over 30 years, the attorneys of O’Connor, Acciani & Levy have been committed to helping all those who have been injured by the actions or negligence of another person or entity. The Cincinnati, Ohio-based personal injury law firm handles all types of personal injury claims including auto accident injuries, dangerous drug litigation, medical malpractice, product liability claims, premises liability and wrongful death claims. For a free and confidential case evaluation, contact O’Connor, Acciani & Levy by visiting oal-law.com or by calling (877) 288-3241 today.
O’Connor, Acciani & Levy
1014 Vine Street, Suite 220
P.O. Box 11050
Cincinnati, OH 45202
(877) 288-3241
O’Connor, Acciani & Levy, O’Connor, Acciani & Levy, http://www.oal-law.com/, +1 (561) 337-3948, [email protected]
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