Hip infection lawyers note a warming blanket used during surgeries may become the subject of a Florida Bair Hugger lawsuit. Patients claim that the blanket has led to severe infections and the blanket’s manufacturer did not disclose the risks of infection. Patients who have had hip replacement surgery or a heart operation are among those who allege the warming blanket caused them injury. Infections attributed to the use of the warming blankets reportedly resulted in amputations and multiple surgical treatments for some patients.
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 Florida 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 Florida Bair Hugger lawsuit attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What Are Bair Hugger Warming Blankets?
The Bair Hugger warming blanket was invented by Dr. Scott Augustine and was acquired by the 3M Corporation in 2010, who currently manufacture and distribute the warming blanket. It is commonly used to regulate body temperature and prevent hypothermia in surgical patients. The blanket uses a process known as forced air warming (FAW), where heated air is blown through tubes in the blanket and out onto a patient’s skin. The FAW method has been claimed to be more efficient and more effective for surgical patients than using electric blankets or heated blankets. All Bair Hugger warming blankets are designed to be disposable and it is estimated that over 50,000 of them are used in hospitals and surgical clinics throughout the U.S.
How Do Bair Hugger Blankets Work?
The warming blankets consist of a controller, an electric motor and fan, an electric heating element, a thermostat, an air filter, and a hose. To use one of these blankets, the hose nozzle must be connected to the disposable blanket so that the fan can draw air in through the heater, allowing the heating element to get the air to a specific temperature. This heated air then makes its way through the hose and into the blanket and blows warm air onto the patient’s skin.
Alleged Risks of Bair Hugger Warming Blankets
Reports have been made to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration claiming that these surgical heating blankets have caught fire during operations, caused burns, and that they have failed to work as they were intended to.
However, a serious risk associated with these blankets, as alleged in lawsuits, is the potential for pathogens to accumulate within the air blower and transfer into a patient’s surgical opening, which can lead to severe infections and requiring more surgical procedures.
Florida Bair Hugger Lawsuit Expected
Lawsuits have been filed in Florida and other states claiming that the manufacturer of Bair Hugger warming blankets was negligent, that 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 these devices were:
- Not thoroughly tested before the blankets were released into the marketplace
- 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
Affected patients are encouraged to seek the assistance of a Florida 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 Florida Bair Hugger lawsuit attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
The time you have to pursue a claim is limited. Contact us for more information.Get Help Now.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Florida for more information. You can fill out the form on this page, call us at the number listed at the top of the page, or email us at info@attorneygroup.com.
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.
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