A California Bair Hugger lawsuit may be an option for patients who claim that the blanket led to severe infections. Lawsuits also claim that the blanket’s manufacturer did not disclose the risks of infection. Heart surgery and hip replacement patients are among those who allege the blanket caused them injury. Affected patients and their families may be able file a lawsuit with the help of a California Bair Hugger lawsuit attorney.
If you or a loved one developed a severe infection after undergoing hip or knee replacement surgery, a heart procedure, or some other type of surgery, contact Attorney Group for California to learn more. We offer free, confidential, no obligation consultations. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a claim we can connect you with an affiliated California Bair Hugger lawsuit attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What Are Bair Hugger Warming Blankets?
Bair Hugger warming blankets were originally designed by Dr. Scott Augustine, and are manufactured and distributed by the 3M Corporation. The warming blankets are commonly used on surgical patients to help regulate their body temperature and prevent hypothermia while they are under general anesthesia. Hypothermia can cause pressures sores, increased wound infections and longer hospital stays.
How Do Bair Hugger Warming Blankets Work?
The warming blankets use a process called forced air warming (FAW) to help patients maintain body temperature during surgery. The Bair Hugger consists of a heating device with a motor, fan, and a hose that sucks in surrounding air, warms it to a predetermined temperature, then blows it through the hose and into the warming blanket warming the patient. Bair Hugger warming blankets were generally considered to be much more effective at warming patients than other electric or heated blankets.
Risks of Bair Hugger Warming Blankets
There are numerous risks associated with the Bair Hugger blanket, including the possibility for it to spontaneously catch fire and burn the skin. However, a serious risk associated with these blankets, as alleged in lawsuits, is its tendency to deposit bacteria and pathogens into a patient’s surgical site, increasing the risk of an infection and necessitating more surgical procedures.
When a patient receives an infection during surgery, additional side effects of such an infection could include:
- Extended hospitalization
- Multiple surgeries
- Revision surgery, in the case of hip replacement
- Scarring from multiple surgeries
- Additional infection treatment
- Development of a drug-resistant infection
- Amputation
Affected patients may be eligible to file a Bair Hugger infection lawsuit to seek compensation for their injuries.
California Bair Hugger Lawsuit Expected
Lawsuits have been filed claiming that the manufacturer of Bair Hugger warming blankets was negligent, that they it failed to properly warn patients of the dangers associated with using these blankets, and that the manufacturer should be held liable for selling a product that was dangerous. More specifically, some of these lawsuits claim that the maker of these devices were:
- Sold to medical centers without including a warning that there were dangerous risks associated with using the blankets
- Continually produced, advertised, and marketed even after they knew that using the blankets resulted in dangerous consequences
- Misrepresented in terms of their safety and effectiveness
- Not thoroughly test the Bair Hugger FAW system before the blankets were released into the marketplace
Affected patients are seeking encouraged to seek the assistance of a California hip infection lawyer to help them understand their options.
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 for injuries that may result.
Patients who suffered severe infections from a Bair Hugger warming blanket may be entitled to compensation for damages, including:
- Medical expenses
- The permanency of the injury
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish
- Loss of income or ability to work
If a patient dies from their infection, family members may be entitled to compensation for the wrongful death of their loved one, including:
- Conscious pain and suffering of a loved one prior to death
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish from the loss of a loved one
- Funeral expenses
Patients who have suffered severe infections from Bair Hugger warming blankets, 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 a California Bair Hugger lawsuit attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for California for more information.
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 for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
