The blood thinner mediation Pradaxa is generally prescribed to prevent strokes among patients with irregular heartbeats. In September 2011, the drug became the subject of an investigation in New Zealand after as many as five elderly Pradaxa patients reportedly died as a result of internal bleeding/ hemorrhaging. Another 36 Pradaxa patients reportedly suffered bouts of serious internal bleeding/ hemorrhaging.

In March 2012, the initial Pradaxa injury and death cases were filed against the manufacturers and distributors of Pradaxa. Following a number of additional cases being filed, the Judicial Panel on Multi-District Litigation (JPML) granted the Plaintiffs’ request to establish a Multi-District Litigation (MDL) in August 2012. Granting MDL treatment will consolidate all federal lawsuits filed across the U.S. into one centralized district. This consolidation will streamline the pretrial discovery process, allowing the parties to avoid duplicative discovery and inconsistent rulings from different judges. The JPML has assigned all pending Federal cases to Judge David Herndon in the Southern District of Illinois, who also currently handles the Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella MDL.

If you or a loved one has experienced serious side effects after taking Pradaxa, you can contact Stark & Stark and speak to one of the Mass Tort attorneys, free of charge, who can help assess any claims that you might have against Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.