A Massachusetts IVC filter lawsuit may be an option for patients who have suffered complications as a result of an IVC filter procedure. For patients at a higher risk of developing deep vein thrombosis, treatment using an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter is quite common, but despite manufacturers’ claims that these devices are safe, some patients allege to have experienced very serious complications as a result of using IVC filters. While this procedure has proven successful in many instances, some patients have filed IVC filter lawsuits against the device makers alleging injuries associated with the IVC filters.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Massachusetts. 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 Massachusetts IVC filter attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
Blood Clots: The Risks
A blood clot in a lung is called a pulmonary embolism, and it creates a situation that is dangerous, even potentially fatal. As Healthline explains, pulmonary embolisms may be prevented or treated through such methods as surgery, although other approaches are likely to be tried first if the situation warrants. Open surgery is used frequently in emergency cases, as are clot dissolvers and anticoagulants, a.k.a. blood thinners.
In other (non-emergency) cases, a catheter sucks clots out. Due to the complicated manner of this approach, doctors tend to shy away from it. If a clot is not in the lungs yet, the installation of an IVC filter is a possible treatment option. In some less-serious cases, a patient might need nothing more than medication for a small clot.
IVC Procedures and IVC Types
As the University of Massachusetts Memorial Health Care explains, it is important for patients to stay in touch with their doctors after an IVC filter procedure. For example, patients will need to attend appointments and keep an eye out for possible complications such as persistent headache or nausea, constant bleeding, fluid leakage from the surgery site or limb coldness. In some cases, patients are able to head home the same day they have IVC filter surgery. During the procedure, the patient is sedated, and the surgeon uses a catheter to gain access to the IVC. If all goes well, the filter should attach itself to the IVC walls. The IVC filter type a patient gets depends on risk factors such as the potential for deep vein thrombosis. Some filters are designed to stay in the body forever, while others should be taken out, especially when risk factors are present.
Retrievable IVC Filters
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that retrievable IVC filters be removed as soon as possible. In a May 2014 safety communication, the FDA said that problems such as IVC filter migrations and IVC filter puncturing have occurred when retrievable filters are left in the body. Other potential problems include filter movement (or filter fragment movement) to the lungs or heart. The FDA sees the potential of a link between these issues and how long a filter has been in a person’s body. As such, the agency suggests that doctors remove retrievable IVC filters once the risk for blood clots in the lungs, or pulmonary embolism, is gone.
IVC Filter Lawsuits Consolidated
NBC News reports that at least one device maker knew that its device was faulty, but kept it on the market, anyway. Hundreds of malfunctioning filters have been reported, with some issues allegedly causing fatalities. Some doctors have turned to specialists to collect fractured pieces or filters tilted at dangerous angles because of the difficulty of the removal procedure in some cases.
Roughly 700 IVC filter lawsuits have been filed against just two of the manufacturers of these medical devices, with more expected in the near future. Cases in Massachusetts and elsewhere in the United States are being combined so that they can be heard in a single district court. This process, known as multidistrict litigation, is often used when hundreds of people suffer damages from a faulty medical device. Similar evidence will be compiled and presented before a judge to prevent people with the same claims from receiving different verdicts.
Attorneys are alleging serious injuries and other complications in Massachusetts IVC filter lawsuits being filed on behalf of affected patients.
How a Massachusetts IVC Filter Lawsuit Attorney Can Help
Device makers have a duty to provide safe products. If there are risks of harm associated with their products, 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.
People injured by the fault of others may be eligible to recover money for:
- Medical Expenses
- Lost Wages
- Pain and Suffering
The families of those killed may be eligible to recover money for funeral expenses and the pain that comes with losing a loved one.
The Time You Have to File a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Massachusetts. You can fill out the form on this page or contact us by phone or email.
After you contact us, an attorney will follow up to 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.
