A Georgia IVC filter lawsuit may be an option for patients who have suffered complications as a result of an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter procedure. An IVC filter is sometimes used to protect patients from life-threatening complications but there have been many reports of IVC filters allegedly causing injury to patients. While this procedure has proven successful in many instances, some patients have filed IVC filter lawsuits against the device makers alleging injuries associated with IVC filters.
If you or a loved one suffered complications after an IVC filter procedure, contact Attorney Group for Georgia 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
The inferior vena cava is a large vein located near the middle of the abdomen. As part of the human body’s circulatory system, its purpose is to return deoxygenated blood from the lower body back to the heart. Medical professionals use IVC filters to trap blood clots that could break loose from veins located in the lower body, travel through the inferior vena cava, and end up in the lungs, which could result in a pulmonary embolism. Generally, those who are considered good candidates for an IVC filter include:
- Patients with a family history of blood clotting
- Patients who have had a recent pulmonary embolism
- Patients with existing blood clots in the pelvis or legs
- Patients who have undergone recent surgery
These IVC filters resemble small metal umbrellas, with numerous wires extending down from a connection at the top of the device. Physicians typically place the filters through a small hole in the neck or groin.
Georgia IVC Filter Lawsuit: Risks Associated With IVC Filters
In September 2015, a Georgia couple filed a lawsuit against device maker C.R. Bard over alleged complications caused by an IVC filter. In the complaint, the victims allege that a piece of a G2 filter broke off, perforating the patient’s heart, resulting in open-heart surgery to repair the injury. According to the couple, an additional piece of the IVC filter also broke off, but was unable to be located. The couple is attempting to hold the device maker accountable for the alleged defective IVC filter that were not recalled, despite C.R. Bard’s alleged awareness of the associated risks and complications. This lawsuit is an example of just one of the complications associated with IVC filters.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), shifting and migration are two of many adverse events associated with these devices that have been reported by many patients. Another alleged complication associated with IVC filters is breakage. This occurs when pieces of wire splinters and shards drift upward and lodge in the heart or lungs. When this happens, a patient is at high risk of serious injury and even death.
Attorneys are alleging serious injuries and other complications in Georgia IVC filter lawsuits being filed on behalf of affected patients.
Other IVC Filter Risks
While some patients enjoy the benefits of having an IVC filter procedure, there are a number of risks involved that have caused serious injury and complications in other patients. In 2010, the FDA released a safety alert in connection with IVC filter risks, which stated that the filters could potentially fracture, migrate, perforate the inferior vena cava, or even cause the deep vein thrombosis the devices are designed to prevent. Manufacturers of the devices claim that they can be used for long-term treatment, but the FDA instead encourages physicians to remove the filters as soon as treatment with blood thinners is effective in order to avoid the types of injuries that other patients have experienced.
A 2012 study performed on 400 patients by researchers in French hospitals and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, suggested that blood thinners were more effective in preventing pulmonary embolism than IVC filters. During the course of the study, six of the patients with IVC filters suffered a pulmonary embolism and died, while another three experienced filter thrombosis, in which a portion or all of the filter broke and traveled to the heart or lungs. In comparison, only three of those treated with only blood thinners had a pulmonary embolism, with two of those dying.
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 a Georgia IVC filter lawyer to learn more about their rights and remedies.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Georgia. 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 or file a lawsuit for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
See our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information, and contact Attorney Group for Georgia today.
