Unfortunately, blood clots can still occur when doctors implant faulty IVC filters into their patients. IVC filters are used to prevent life-threatening pulmonary embolisms, which block the artery in the lungs making it hard to breathe. Essentially, these IVC filters are supposed to catch blood clots that would get into your lungs. If the filters are unable to catch the blood clots, it can cause serious health problems. These include, but are not limited to, death, hemorrhages, severe and persistent pain, symptoms similar to a heart attack, or shortness of breath and chest discomfort. In addition to the filters not catching the blood clots, the filters are sometimes breaking off and migrating into different parts of a person’s body. Often times patients are not warned of the risks of these filters and neither are the doctors, even though the consequences are so severe. If a company that manufactured or produced IVC filters was careless and made a faulty product, you may have grounds to sue for your injuries.
Faulty IVC filters that cause harm can potentially lead to a products liability claim. Products liability cases target companies for either designing defective products, manufacturing defective products, or failing to warn the consumers of the risks of their products. Depending on the nature of a person’s injuries, an IVC filter lawsuit can be based on any of the above reasons. Due to the severity of the damage caused, a lawsuit against one of these companies could provide significant compensation. Medical expenses, lost wages and impaired earnings, loss of enjoyment of life, pain and suffering, or compensation for wrongful death are some of the common things that people sue for.
If you or a loved one were implanted with an IVC filter and it broke or malfunctioned, you may have a products liability claim. If you would like to receive a free case consultation about a potential blood clot filter injury, please call our offices at (916) 520-6639.