Settlement reached resolving Xarelto Stroke Medication Lawsuits

A $775 million settlement was reached by the manufacturers of the widely used Xarelto drug to settle lawsuits filed by patients who experienced bleeding injuries.

The agreement was announced between the plaintiff lawyer leadership and Xarelto makers Bayer Healthcare and Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.

More than 25,000 individuals filed lawsuits against Xarelto, claiming internal bleeding, stroke, and death. The drug makers were accused of downplaying its risks and promoting it as a safer alternative to warfarin.

Per the announcement, the settlement was a private agreement to resolve all cases in federal and state courts.

The agreement called for a claims administrator and special master to oversee the claims process, handle appeals and distribute funds.

“This was a fair and just resolution for thousands of consumers who have substantial claims,” said Plaintiff’s Steering Committee co-lead counsel Andy Birchfield of Beasley Allen. “This was a massive and complex matter, and we appreciate the guiding role played by federal judge Eldon E. Fallon who oversaw the federal litigation.”

How the Agreement Resolved New Claims

The agreement handled lawsuits in the Xarelto multidistrict litigation (MDL) and resolved newly filed claims that met specific criteria. These claims included plaintiffs who:

• retained a lawyer to investigate Xarelto-related personal injury claims before March 11, 2019
• registered their claim by March 28, 2019
• filed a civil action by April 4, 2019

“We’re pleased that these drug companies have agreed to allow all these Xarelto patients to move their claims forward after years of seeking justice,” said Brian Barr, co-lead counsel of the Levin Papantonio Law Firm. It may have taken more than four years and six separate trials, but litigation like this is an important way for consumers to have a voice in matters of drug safety.”

Claimants with Reduced Payments

Payments were reduced for claimants who had their first Xarelto prescription on or after December 1, 2015, or whose first reported injury occurred on or after March 1, 2016. Claimants hospitalized for one or two consecutive days also had limited payments.

Case Information

The case is In re: Xarelto (rivaroxaban) Products Liability Litigation, case number 2:14-md-02592, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.