IVC Filter Lawyers
New Jersey Personal Injury Law Firm for IVC Filter Claims
An inferior vena cava (IVC) filter is a medical device that is intended to protect patients against the dangers of blood clots. However, there have been many recent cases in which the IVC filter has been faulty, resulting in complications after insertion. When any medical device contains a product defect, it may fail, causing serious and sometimes fatal injuries. An IVC filter defect in particular may cause damage to the heart, lungs or nearly any other organ.
If you or a loved one has suffered complications, injuries or wrongful death due to IVC filter failure, the attorneys at Keefe Law Firm can help you determine if you are eligible for compensation due to a malfunctioning medical device. Many of these devices are also subject to product recalls and class action lawsuits. Our IVC filter lawyers can research your implant and inform you of your legal options.
What is an IVC Filter?
An IVC filter is a small cage-like device that was developed to help patients who are at risk for a dangerous pulmonary embolism (PE). A PE commonly occurs when a blood clot travels from the legs into the lungs. A clot can then block the pulmonary arteries carrying blood from the heart to the lungs. This type of blockage can cause difficulty breathing, a heart attack or death.
Usually, those at risk for PE take blood thinners to reduce their risk of blood clots. However, an IVC filter is an alternative for patients who cannot take blood thinners. Doctors implant the IVC filter in the inferior vena cava – a large vein which carries blood from the legs and lower body into the heart. The filter is designed to catch blood clots that move from the lower body, keeping them from reaching the lungs. However, when an IVC filter fails due to a product defect, it not only allows these clots to continue to travel to the lungs, but it can also cause many other medical complications.
IVC Filter Defects
IVC filters may fail in different ways due to different types of product defects. Common concerns and dangers of IVC filter failure include:
- The filter may pierce the blood vessel. IVC filters have long, spindly legs, which can puncture the wall of the vein in some cases.
- The filter may break apart due to design or manufacturing defects. If the filter breaks, some pieces may get lodged in the patient’s blood vessels. Other shards may travel through the vessels, endangering the intestines or the space behind the abdominal organs. The result may be serious internal bleeding, organ perforation and possibly wrongful death. Doctors must then surgically explore these spaces in order to retrieve the fractured pieces.
- The filter may dislodge completely. One such case involved an IVC filter that tore a hole through a patient’s heart, requiring open heart surgery.
- The filter may cause blood clots. By design, IVC filters should catch blood clots while allowing open circulation. However, a product defect sometimes results in these devices causing blood clots, instead of preventing them.
Many companies that manufacture IVC filters have issued product recalls or have been the subject of product liability lawsuits. These companies include C.R. Bard, Inc. and Cook Medical LLC as well as Johnson & Johnson, B. Braun Medical and more. Upon investigation, it was proven that some of these companies failed to alert both its sales personnel and the medical community that its filters had a high rate of fracture in tests due to different types of product defects. This has led to several class action lawsuits and high profile settlements.
Contact Our IVC Filter Lawyers Today
If you or someone you know has suffered an injury, illness or other complication due to an IVC filter insertion, fracture, or removal, you may be eligible for compensation.An IVC filter lawyer can determine if any product recalls affect your brand of filter, and if there are any ongoing class action lawsuits you can join.
Contact an experienced IVC filter lawyer at Keefe Law Firm today for a free consultation about your experience. We have law offices across New Jersey, in Red Bank, New Brunswick, Newark and Point Pleasant, and we accept cases nationwide. If there is any possibility of a manufacturer defect or medical negligence, we will represent you and fight for the best compensation available.
