IVC Filters

Boston Attorneys Representing IVC Filter Claims

Inferior vena cava filters (IVC filters) are implanted in certain patients to protect them against pulmonary embolism risk. These medical devices have been on the market since 2005, and in the years that have followed, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has fielded thousands of reports of dangerous injuries associated with their use. Despite these reports, and prior indications of risks connected to IVC filters, manufacturers failed to disclose the dangers. As such, individuals have sustained serious injuries, including death, after being treated with IVC filters. Boston product liability lawyers at the Naumes Law Group help victims who have been harmed by IVC filter complications receive the compensation they deserve to treat and deal with their injuries.

Dangers Associated With IVC Filters

Patients who are at risk for pulmonary embolism, but are not candidates for traditional treatment with blood thinner medication, are fitted with IVC filters to prevent blood clots from entering their lungs. These devices are placed in the inferior vena cava in order to block clots that would lead to pulmonary embolism. The FDA has received reports of thousands of cases of adverse effects associated with IVC filter use. Complications have arisen due to an IVC filter’s propensity to migrate, fracture, and immobilize, causing fragments of metal to travel through a patient’s blood, leading to injuries that include:

• Hemorrhaging
• Perforation of organs or vessels
• Embolisms
• Stroke
• Severe pain
• Death

In 2010, the FDA issued a recommendation that IVC filters be placed only in patients on a short-term basis, removed within six to twelve weeks after being inserted, and that IVC filters that are retrievable be removed where possible. Despite these recommendations, some IVC filters have remained unnecessarily in patients and are still used as long-term options.

Legal Claims for Injuries Caused by IVC Filters

All manufacturers, including those distributing medical devices, have a duty to ensure their products are safe for consumer use. These manufacturers also have a duty to inform patients if a product carries with it a known danger, or a danger that should be known with proper research and development. Claims against IVC filter manufacturers allege that they failed to warn physicians, and their patients, of the potential risk that the filters would break and cause injuries. Some evidence suggests that the manufacturer of these filters actively hid research that indicated this danger and continued to market the product for use.

Patients injured after having IVC filters inserted can pursue legal action against the responsible manufacturer to recover compensation for medical expenses, lost earning capacity, loss of income, and in some instances, pain and suffering damages. In Massachusetts, these claims must be brought within three years from the date of a victim’s injury. If a IVC complication leads to a fatality, certain family members can initiate a wrongful death claim to receive damages for funeral and burial expenses, lost earnings, as well as compensation for the loss of care, companionship, and support a victim would have provided if he or she survived.

Reach out a Skilled Personal Injury Lawyer in Boston

If you or a loved one has sustained a serious injury due to an IVC filter, Boston injury attorneys at the Naumes Law Group can help you pursue the proper legal claims against responsible manufacturers. Please contact us today to find out more about your legal options. Cases accepted are handled on a contingent fee basis, with no charge for your initial consultation. Our firm serves residents of Springfield, Worcester, Waltham, Watertown, Hyannis, Malden, Medford, Taunton, Peabody, Braintree, Weymouth, Quincy, Pittsfield, and Plymouth, as well as Suffolk, Middlesex, Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Norfolk, Plymouth, and Worcester Counties. Please contact our office toll free at 844-826-8445, or locally at 618-227-8444, to find out more about how we may assist you.