The use of Pradaxa has been linked to serious injury. There are nearly 2,000 cases currently pending in federal court in the Southern District of Illinois. Pradaxa is a blood thinner that was marketed to replace warfarin, a commonly used anticoagulant. Unfortunately, there is no readily-available antidote for the internal bleeding that can sometimes occur in patients treated with Pradaxa.

Judge David R. Herndon, Chief Judge United States District Court, presiding over the litigation, recently decided that Boehringer Ingelheim, maker of Pradaxa, had acted “in bad faith” by failing to preserve documents related to the drug’s development and marketing. Judge Herndon reportedly found that Boehringer’s behavior was “egregious” and “grossly inadequate” and justified a sanction of more than $931,000. Plaintiffs’ attorneys argued that Boehringer marketed Pradaxa knowing it could cause bleed-out deaths. It is alleged that Pradaxa is linked to more than 500 bleeding-related deaths over a two year period. In addition to the monetary penalties, Judge Herndon ordered Boehringer executives to turn over files and respond to additional document requests.

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.