Hip infection lawyers note a warming blanket used during surgeries that is the subject of a New York Bair Hugger lawsuit. Patients claim that the blanket has led to severe infections and 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. Infections attributed to the use of the warming blankets have 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 New York 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 New York Bair Hugger lawsuit attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What Is a Bair Hugger Warming Blanket?
3M Corporation manufactures and distributes the Bair Hugger warming blanket. It is designed to be used on surgical patients to help them regulate and maintain their body temperature and prevent hypothermia from setting in, a common risk for general anesthesia patients. This type of hypothermia can cause pressures sores, increased wound infections and longer hospital stays. These blankets use a forced air warming process (FAW) that transports heated air through the tubes in the blanket and onto the skin of the patient.
How Does a Bair Hugger Warming Blanket Work?
Through a process known as forced air warming (FAW), Bair Hugger blankets blow heated air onto a patient’s skin. This air is delivered through tubes connected to a portable heater that creates the hot air that ultimately reaches the patient’s exposed skin. Some of the additional components used within the device include a hose, air filter, electric motor, electric fan and thermostat. These blankets are designed to be for single-patient use only, meaning each should be disposed of after one patient has used it. 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 very serious risk associated with these warming blankets is its reported ability to deposit bacteria and pathogens into a patient’s surgical site, increasing the risk of an infection and necessitating more surgical procedures. These complications may be more likely to occur in patients who have had heart or hip surgeries, and these problems have become so widespread that the inventor of Bair Hugger has reportedly admitted that the risks associated with using these blankets during surgery were so serious that they should stop being used in hospitals and surgical centers. One study even suggested that 96 percent of Bair Hugger blankets used in operating rooms contained significant levels of contaminants.
New York Bair Hugger Lawsuit
Lawsuits have been filed in New York and other states claiming that the manufacturer of Bair Hugger warming blankets was negligent, that they 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:
- Did not thoroughly test the Bair Hugger FAW system 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
- Were continually produced, advertised, and marketed even after they knew that using the blankets resulted in dangerous consequences
- Were misrepresented in terms of their safety and effectiveness
Affected patients are seeking the assistance of a New York 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 an New York Bair Hugger lawsuit attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
Contact Us For More Information
For more information, contact Attorney Group for New York 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.
See our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information, and contact Attorney Group for New York today.
