Filing a Xeljanz Lawsuit and Collecting Damages
Lawyers around the country, including New York and New Jersey, are currently reviewing cases from patients who took Xeljanz or Xeljanz XR to treat rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, or psoriatic arthritis. Patients who were on Xeljanz and suffered a blood clot in the legs, pelvis or lungs may want to speak with a lawyer about these cases. The medical term for blood clots in the legs is deep vein thrombosis (DVT). A blood clot in the lungs is called pulmonary embolism (PE). Xeljanz may increase the risk of developing these clots Awhich can lead to serious medical complications and possibly death.
Some Xeljanz Background
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the department that oversees the marketing, testing, and safety of drugs. It approved Xeljanz in 2012 to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Some years later, the FDA added psoriatic arthritis (PA) and ulcerative colitis (UC) to the list of diseases that Xeljanz may treat. These are all inflammatory diseases can result in pain, immobility, surgery, and severe quality of life issues for those who suffer from them.
According to the Xeljanz website, between January 2013 and July 2018, doctors in the US prescribed Xeljanz to well over 130,000 people to treat RA. This number does not include the patients who have been prescribed Xeljanz to treat ulcerative colitis or psoriatic arthritis. In 2018, Pfizer, one of the world’s largest drug companies and the maker of Xeljanz, reported earning over 1.8 billion dollars from Xeljanz.
Xeljanz has helped many people, but its side effects are many. Common side effects are similar to those of a common cold. Because Xeljanz suppresses the immune system, it makes users prone to illnesses such as respiratory infections, coughing, runny noses, diarrhea, and headaches. More severe side effects include the risk of dangerous, life-threatening infections, intestinal, and stomach perforations.
Pfizer, the manufacturer of Xeljanz, has a long list of warnings of side effects about Xeljanz but its marketing makes no mention of the increased risk of blood clots. The FDA has received thousands of adverse reports about Xeljanz and its side effects, including PE and DVT, some of which have resulted in fatalities.
There has been no Xeljanz recall. There have been no new labels issued by the manufacturer warning of this potential injury. In February 2019, however, the FDA released a safety alert about an increased risk of blood clots and death from taking Xeljanz to treat RA.
Have Xeljanz Side Effects Harmed You?
If you suffered because of the side effects of Xeljanz, you might be eligible to file a lawsuit against Pfizer and other entities for their negligence. You may have a personal injury, dangerous drug, wrongful death, or products liability claim.
To even consider trying to hold a drug company such as Pfizer liable for injuries caused by Xeljanz, and to collect monetary damages, you have to find at a minimum the following:
- Did Pfizer owe you a duty of care?
- Did Pfizer breach the duty?
- Did the breach cause your injuries?
- What is the extent of your losses or damages?
These four things should be evident before you can hold anyone liable for your injuries caused by Xeljanz.
Navigating a Case Involving a Dangerous Drug Can be Complex
Proving negligence in a serious drug case can be complicated. Each of the factors above can be fraught with complex issues. For example,
- The drug company may owe several different duties of care such as the duty to warn, the duty to make products as safe as possible, and the duty of due diligence.
- The drug company may owe a duty of care to different parties such as one to the doctor and one to the patient.
- There may be more than one party who owes a duty of care such as the drug company, its employees, the doctor who prescribed the drug, the hospital, or the FDA.
- What is the standard of care for each of the parties with a duty? They can be different. Did the actions meet the standard of care? Did some activities meet the standard of care?
- What if a breach of duty was willful?
- Did the breach of duty cause the injury? Did other factors contribute to or cause harm?
Proving Your Xeljanz Claim
Establishing your claim requires the collection of records that can be used as evidence to prove the factors listed above or any others that arise in a particular case. (They are not all precisely the same.) You, with the help of your attorney, will likely gather all of your medical history, your current medical records, and documents about Xeljanz, such as its clinical trial process and results, FDA approval track, and adverse report history. You may also rely on expert testimony about Xeljanz provided by medical professionals or employees/representatives from Pfizer familiar with the drug, its uses, and side effects.
You May Collect Compensation For a Successful Claim
Filing a lawsuit may result in the collection of monetary compensation for the victim. If you have suffered because of Xeljanz, you may be able to receive the value of your current and future medical expenses, lost wages, and compensation for your pain and suffering. You may be able to recover more if Pfizer’s conduct is found to be egregious.
Time May Be Of The Essence
All states have a statute of limitations that governs the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit. We have no way of knowing how much time you have left without hearing the facts of your Xeljanz case.
Contact Us
Speak to our dangerous drug lawyer Alonso Krangle, LLP and find out if you have a Xeljanz claim. We are reviewing Xeljanz cases now. Please do not wait to call [phone_num] and get a free evaluation of your Xeljanz case.