Yaz/Yasmin Lawsuit Payouts Continue to Rise | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

What Happened:

 

Bayer AG, the maker of Yasmin birth-control pills, said that settlements related to U.S. lawsuits over its product have increased to more than $402 million. According to Businessweek, Bayer has resolved almost 1,900 cases in which it has been claimed that Yasmin and Yaz contraceptives caused blood clots that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. The company said that the payments have broken down to an average of about $212,000 per case.

 

Bayer also announced that it had more than doubled its financial reserve for future payments related to Yaz cases, setting aside an additional $610 million this quarter alone. The $610 million is meant to pay the company’s costs beyond what insurance will cover for legal fees, including cases that haven’t been settled yet. Even this huge figure may not be enough as drug-industry analysts have said that Bayer may end up paying out over $2 billion to resolve all the cases related to the birth-control problems.

 

Lawyers suing the company have brought forward FDA reports of at least 50 deaths tied to the pills from 2004 to 2008. The lawyers have argued that Bayer marketed the contraceptives for unapproved uses and misled women about their risks.

 

Given the number of women taking Yasmin, which was the fourth most prescribed oral contraceptive in 2011 with 4.6% of the overall market, the suits could potentially affect millions of women. Bayer faced more than 12,000 lawsuits over the Yasmin line of contraceptives, including claims that they caused blood clots in some women and damaged gallbladders in others. Thus far, Bayer has agreed to settle 1,877 cases.

 

The Virginia Injury Lawyer’s Perspective:

 

As experienced Virginia dangerous drug and device attorneys, my colleagues and I have helped clients through many cases like this. Sadly, thousands of people experience the pain of taking a medication prescribed by their doctor only to have it cause serious health problems later on. This happens far too often and the side effects can last a lifetime.

 

Helpful Info:

 

If you have been injured by a dangerous or defective drug, you may be able to hold the company that manufactured and marketed the drug accountable by filing claims for compensation. Read this article to begin learning about your legal rights and options when a faulty product leads to injuries.

 

Have Questions?

 

To learn more about how to proceed if you have been injured as a result of a prescription drug in Virginia, please read this free report.

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