IVC Filter Lawsuits
IVC Filter lawsuits are being filed everyday and the MDL docket continues to grow. When you are subjected to a medical treatment that causes you harm, it’s tragic.
When the company selling the treatment knows it is likely to cause harm and doesn’t warn you, it’s negligence. Sometimes, it is gross negligence or even a criminal act.
The makers of inferior vena cava (IVC) filters did not do adequate testing on the devices and did not warn patients about a growing number of health risks posed by their products. Now they are facing thousands of lawsuits.
The Lovely Law Firm is accepting IVC filter cases – call or contact us through our website for a free case evaluation.
What Is an IVC Filter?
The IVC filter is a small medical device that is inserted, often by a surgeon, into the inferior vena cava, a large vein that delivers deoxygenated blood from the lower and middle parts of the body into the right atrium of the heart.
IVC filters are meant to remove from the bloodstream any blood clots that might become dislodged and travel to the heart or lungs. When blood clots enter the heart or lungs, they can cause a pulmonary embolism (PE), a blockage of an artery in the lungs.
Although the prognosis for PE has improved dramatically over the past quarter-century, it still can be fatal.
What Are the Problems with IVC Filters?
Since 2015, the Federal Drug Administration has received thousands of reports of serious problems with IVCs, including multiple reports that:
- The device moves from where it was inserted to a different part of the body, causing medical issues;
- The device fractures or is otherwise damaged while in the body; and
- Fragments of a fractured IVC – or the entire device – move to the heart or lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism.
What Does the Government Say About It?
In 2010, the FDA issued a safety communication blaming long-term placement of IVC filters for the problems and saying IVC filters should only be used for short-term placement.
However, research has shown that doctors make no plans to remove the filters 70 percent of the time. Sometimes, there is a sound medical reason to not follow the FDA’s recommendations and leave the IVC filter in long-term or even permanently – for example, if a treating physician believes the patient will be at serious risk of a pulmonary embolism if the filter is removed.
But, the research shows that doctors are leaving the filters in patients who are no longer at risk of a pulmonary embolism, even when there is no downside to removal. This means that, for as many as 80 percent of patients, the “temporary” IVC filter becomes permanent.
Can I File A Lawsuit Over IVC Filter Complications?
Thousands of lawsuits have been filed, with most of them targeting two types of IVC filters. The lawsuits accuse the filter makers of negligence because they knowingly produced a defective product and failed to adequately warn medical professionals and patients of the risks.
IVC Filter Lawyers – Personal Injury Attorneys in Myrtle Beach, SC
The Lovely Law Firm is accepting IVC filter clients. If you or a loved one has suffered complications after receiving an IVC filter, call the personal injury lawyers at the Lovely Law Firm now at (843) 839-4111 or fill out our online form to schedule a free case evaluation
