An Alabama IVC filter lawsuit may be an option for patients who have suffered complications as a result of an IVC filter procedure. For patients with an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis, placement of an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter is intended to stop harmful blood clots from traveling to the heart and lungs. While this procedure has proven successful in many instances, some patients claim that serious injury has occurred as a result of IVC procedures. These complications have led to numerous IVC filter lawsuits being filed against the device makers.
If you or a loved one suffered complications after an IVC filter procedure, contact Attorney Group for Alabama to learn more. We offer free, confidential, no obligation consultations. We can help answer your questions and inform you of your options. If you choose to pursue a claim, we can connect you with an affiliated IVC filter attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
IVC Filters And Blood Clots
Blood coagulates to prevent too much blood loss when a vein sustains a cut or tear. Some people have high risk factors that lead to the development of blood clots, including those who are on certain medications, who are pregnant, or on bed rest; those who have a family history of blood clots; and those who smoke or are obese. Rather than being broken up and absorbed by the body, sometimes the clots loosen and travel through the vein to another area of the body. If one forms in the inferior vena cava, which brings de-oxygenated blood back to the heart from the lower extremities, it can travel to the heart and cause a heart attack. A pulmonary embolism is caused by a clot that reaches the lungs through the inferior vena cava.
Some patients cannot take blood thinners because of the medication’s link with hemorrhaging and internal bleeding. Pregnancy can also cause complications with anticoagulants, and some people develop more clots, even while taking the medication. For further protection against a pulmonary embolism or a heart attack caused by a blood clot, doctors often recommend IVC filters. These spider-like wire traps hook to the inside of the vein and allow blood to flow through, but the filter traps the clots and prevents them from moving closer to the heart or lungs.
Alabama IVC Filter Lawsuit: Risks Associated With IVC Filters
These IVC filters are not always effective. Thrombosis is one complication that is associated with the device, although it is inserted to prevent the issue. The wire spokes can become trapped and cause the filter to move or puncture the wall of the vein. A wire protruding from the vein can also pierce vital organs. There is also the risk that the device will break, allowing splintered pieces or shards of wire to be carried up the inferior vena cava to the lungs or heart.
After hundreds of adverse event reports, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is now recommending that retrievable filters be removed as soon as possible after the danger has passed so that patients may avoid the potential for injuries and fatalities that are associated with device malfunction.
Other IVC Filter Risks
Usually an IVC filter is more difficult to retrieve the longer it has been in place, and some removal procedures have been unsuccessful. Retrievable filters may be left in the vein based on a physician’s assessment of the risk factors for removal. The FDA warns that retrievable IVC filters have caused serious health issues for hundreds of patients since 2005. Experts believe that leaving the device in a vein after it is no longer needed can lead to a high risk of patient harm. Adverse events associated with the filters include:
- Perforation of the vein
- Filter damage
- Detached filter components
- Migration of the filter
These known risks are believed to be related to long term use of filters that should be removed once the threat from blood clots has been mitigated, the agency stated.
Attorneys are alleging serious injuries and other complications in Alabama IVC filter lawsuits being filed on behalf of affected patients.
Injured Patients May Be Entitled to Compensation
Medical device makers have a duty to provide safe products. If there are risks of harm associated with their devices, they also must provide adequate warnings. If a device maker fails to fulfill this duty, it could be held liable in lawsuits for injuries that may result.
If a patient dies from complications related to a defective IVC Filter, family members may be entitled to compensation for the wrongful death of their loved one.
Patients who have suffered severe complications from IVC filters, as well as the families of those who have died as a result of complications with the device, are encouraged to seek the advice of an Alabama IVC filter lawyer to learn more about their rights and remedies.
Contact Us For More Information
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Alabama.
When you contact us, an attorney will follow up with you to speak with you about your case or answer questions that you might have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim or file a lawsuit for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
