Florida Plaintiff Alleges Numerous Yaz Side Effects

One of the more recent Yaz lawsuits was filed by a Florida woman on September 19, 2012, in which she claims that the birth control medication caused her to sustain injuries including deep vein thrombosis (DVT), bladder problems, blood clots, pulmonary embolism (PE), vein damage, permanent lung damage, and pain and swelling in her legs.

The plaintiff, Connie Serrano, originally filed her case in Lee County, but on November 30, 2012, it was removed to federal court. According to the Notice of Removal, the defendants Bayer intend to identify Serrano’s case as a potential tagalong case of the multidistrict litigation (MDL) against them for Yaz and Yasmin in the Southern District of Illinois.

Studies indicate Yaz link to blood clots

First approved by the FDA in 2006, Yaz contains what is known as a “fourth generation” progestin known as drospirenone. Several scientific studies have connected drospirenone with an increased danger of blood clots.

The studies, published in August of 2009 in the British Medical Journal, showed the higher risk of blood clots for individuals using Yaz and Yasmin. In the first, it was determined that older contraceptive medications that contained levonorgestrel were safer than those that had drospirenone as their main ingredient. The second indicated that women using Yaz and Yasmin had double the risk of blood clots as those who were using pills with levonorgestrel.

Yaz caused blood clots and subsequent medical issues, plaintiff claims

In her filing, Serrano claims to have taken Yaz at various junctures between July 2002 and September 2010. She claims that the injuries she suffered are all related and and were spurred by blood clot problems due to the medication. DVT is a condition that results from a blood clot forming in the deep veins of the legs. From the legs, it can travel through the bloodstream and cause PE by lodging in the lungs. It was likely PE that caused the plaintiff’s lung damage, swelling in the legs, and leg and vein issues.

The plaintiff states that her injuries will require her to have long-term medical care and she will need to take medications that pose substantial health risks. She learned of the potential injury connection to Yaz after she had sustained them.

Gallbladder disease also said to be side effect from Yaz

Bayer has settled nearly 3,500 of the cases brought by women who claim to have suffered from side effects of the birth control medications in which they’ve paid an estimated $750 million. All settled cases to date have been brought because of blood clots. Other lawsuits in relation to the medication have been brought because of gallbladder disease.

One example is a particular case n California that was filed recently was brought by a women suffering from injuries resulting in her gallbladder being removed. Gallbladder disease allegations share the following similarities: cramping pain, jaundice, gallstones, fever, abdominal pain, and gallbladder inflammation.

As of now, the scientific evidence to connect blood clots to Yaz is clearer than the links between the birth control medication and gallbladder disease.

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Florida plaintiff seeks more than $75,000 in damages

The plaintiff brings counts of defective warning, failure to warn, breach of warranties, design and manufacturing defect, and negligence. She seeks in excess of $75,000 in damages.