A blood thinner, also known as an anticoagulant, is a category of prescription medication that is used to reduce the thickness of blood in a person’s body. In general, blood thinners are typically prescribed to treat medical conditions that cause blood clots in the human body. Thus, by reducing the thickness of a person’s blood, their blood will be able to flow quickly and more easily, which may prevent their blood from clotting in certain areas.
While there are some substances and ingredients that act as natural forms of blood thinners, the majority of blood thinners are made up of chemicals and transformed into pills to be used for medicinal purposes. Blood thinners that are produced from artificial components are usually found under the generic label of “warfarin”.
Some common brand names for blood thinners or warfarin products include:
- Coumadin;
- Marevan;
- Jantoven;
- Xarelto;
- Lawarin;
- Waran; and
- Various other brand names or similar blood thinner products.
In addition, blood thinners can be used to prevent heart attacks or strokes from occurring. Blood thinner medications may also be prescribed to patients who have already suffered such medical conditions in order to help stop a heart attack or stroke from happening a second time.
However, anyone who is on blood thinners must be very careful because the side effects can be lethal if they are not used properly or interact poorly with other medications that a person is currently being prescribed.
To learn more about how you can file and recover damages in a blood thinner lawsuit, you should speak to a personal injury attorney who practices law in your county immediately for further legal assistance. An attorney will be able to walk you through the process of filing a lawsuit and can provide legal representation if you need to appear in court. An attorney can also inform you of your rights and any potential legal remedies you may be able to recover.
Are There Any Risks or Side Effects Associated with Blood Thinners?
One of the most crucial risks and/or side effects associated with blood thinners is that they may cause uncontrollable bleeding. This particular side effect may not only cause a substantial amount of blood loss in a patient, but can also lead to serious medical complications over time. Specifically, many medical professionals are most concerned with uncontrollable bleeding when it occurs internally within a patient.
Some other common risks and/or side effects associated with blood thinners may include the following:
- Blood in a person’s vomit or mucus;
- Gums that bleed;
- Sore muscles or overall body aches;
- Severe black and blues or bruising;
- Blood in an individual’s urine or stool;
- Headaches and nausea;
- Nosebleeds that last for an inordinate amount of time; and/or
- Various other kinds of symptoms that may be specific to an individual patient.
In addition, there is also a possibility that a blood thinner interacts poorly with another type of medication that a person is taking. The two drugs combined may create a risk of serious medical problems if a person is not careful when using them together or a physician is careless in prescribing them to be taken simultaneously.
As such, it is very important for a patient to be aware of all the consequences and side effects that can result from using blood thinner medications.
Are There Any Legal Remedies for Blood Thinner Injuries?
There are a number of legal remedies that a person may be able to recover for their injuries if they are successful in bringing a blood thinner lawsuit against an offending party. The types of legal remedies that may be issued to a prevailing party in a blood thinner lawsuit may include the following:
- A monetary damages award to compensate an injured party for any economic losses they suffered due to taking blood thinner medication;
- A settlement award from a class action or multidistrict lawsuit, which could potentially be for millions of dollars;
- A punitive damages award in extreme cases, such as if a medical practitioner was grossly negligent in prescribing a blood thinner to a patient or numerous patients; and/or
- Damage awards for injuries that may be difficult to quantify like reputational damage, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and/or pain and suffering.
In addition, the legal remedies that one may receive in a blood thinner lawsuit will be contingent on the relevant laws enacted in their state, the facts of their specific case, and the type of legal claim on which a blood thinner lawsuit is based. Some claims that can be used to bring a blood thinner lawsuit in court may include:
- A claim for products liability or a defective product (e.g., warning label defects, manufacturing defects, and design defects);
- Legal issues that involve simple negligence or gross negligence, which would constitute medical malpractice like when a doctor prescribes a blood thinner in error; and/or
- A claim for wrongful death or loss of consortium that may be filed by a close loved one on behalf of the deceased.
As a final example, suppose that a pharmaceutical manufacturer creates a new blood thinner product and fails to warn both consumers and medical professionals about the substantial side effects that the drug may cause in its users or which medications should not be mixed with it.
A doctor would ordinarily be responsible for conducting research to determine the answers to these two questions on behalf of consumers and patients. However, if a pharmaceutical manufacturer also failed to list the correct ingredients, then it would be nearly impossible for a doctor to analyze the necessary factors.
Accordingly, a doctor would either be able to sue the pharmaceutical company to reimburse them for any damages or the injured parties could directly sue the pharmaceutical company in a class action or multidistrict lawsuit themselves. If the plaintiffs are able to prevail in the lawsuit, then they may collect monetary damages that can be used to pay for hospital bills, medical treatment, lost wages, loss of earning potential, pain and suffering, and so forth.
Should I Hire Lawyer for Assistance with a Blood Thinner Lawsuit?
As discussed above, blood thinners can cause serious injuries to consumers who use them. Thus, lawsuits that arise from blood thinner injuries may involve a whole host of complex legal issues and often require strict compliance with the relevant laws and procedural requirements.
Therefore, if you need help filing a claim regarding injuries sustained from using a blood thinner in court, then it may be in your best interest to hire a local personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. An experienced personal injury lawyer can perform legal research to determine if you have a viable claim or not.
Your lawyer can also assist you in gathering sufficient evidence to support your case and can discuss the types of legal remedies you may be able to recover if your lawsuit is successful. In addition, your lawyer can provide legal representation in court, at conferences to negotiate a settlement arrangement, and/or during any other legal proceeding that is connected to your blood thinner case.
Lastly, if you have any questions or concerns about the laws in your area and how they may affect the outcome of your blood thinner lawsuit, your lawyer will be able to adequately address such questions and concerns as well.
