Around 2,000 IVC filter lawsuits are now pending against manufacturer C.R. Bard in a multidistrict ligation (MDL No.2641). This MDL is located in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. It surrounds consumers being injured by serious design flaws caused by the filter.
IVC Filters are supposed to prevent deadly blood clots from reaching the lungs. They use small, spider-like devices to intercept blood clots before they reach the lungs. When a blood clot reaches the lung, it is referred to as a pulmonary embolism (PE). PEs cause about 300,000 deaths ever year – the third most common cause of death in hospital patients.
Instead, many are experiencing deadly side effects. There were 38 cases of the filter spontaneously fracturing. Some of the broken fragments traveled in the bloodstream before hitting the kidney vein, lungs or heart. Studies show 40% of patients using C.R. Bard’s 1st-genderation and 2nd-genration filters can fracture within 5 years.
Dangerous Fractures
Fractures are extremely dangerous. This occurred inside a 74-year-old woman within 8-12 months of implantation. She did not have any symptoms since the broken piece remained lodged by the filter. The woman died from her injuries.
The longer a filter stays in, the higher chance of it fracturing. This is why the FDA recommends removal within 54 days. However, doctors only remove about 30%.
Additional IVC Filter Lawsuits
Besides the Arizona MDL, about 650 lawsuits have been filed in the District of Indiana under Judge Richard L. Young. These cases accuse another IVC Filter manufacturer, Cook Medical. Plaintiffs are arguing that Cook IVC Filters are defective and dangerous.
Specific dangers have included vein and organ perforation from the filter migrating away from the intended location, deep venous thrombosis (DVT) from a blood clot forming in the vein, pulmonary embolism (PE) from a blood clot in a deep vein that travels to the lungs and failed removal of the filter.
Failed filter removal is one of the complaints of a chosen bellwether case for the Spring 2017 trial. The case is about plaintiff Elizabeth H., a woman from Florida. Her doctor implanted her with a Cook Celect IVC filter in November 2010. The Cook Celect model is a retrievable IVC filter that the FDA recommends removing within 29 to 54 days after implantation. If the filter remains longer than recommended, the patient is at increased risk for the filter to fracture, migrate, perforate, inflict organ damage or even lead to death. Doctors attempted to removal the filter, but they could not. Then, the filter migrated before embedding in her intestines.
Did an IVC Filter Injure You?
If you or someone you know has suffered from IVC filter migration, you may be eligible for compensation to ease the financial and emotional burdens you are experiencing. Contact us today to set up a free consultation, during which we will listen to your story, answer any questions you may have and discuss your legal rights and options. If you choose us to represent you, we will work with you on a contingency fee basis; this means you pay nothing until we have secured compensation for you, either through a jury verdict or settlement.