When patients in Tennessee and elsewhere undergo surgical procedures, there will always be the danger of blood clots developing. IVC filters were intended to prevent pulmonary embolism from blood clots landing in the lungs, or even death when these clots end up in the brain. However, the devices have led to multiple lawsuits related to defective drugs and medical devices.
IVC filters are implanted in the arteries of patients with histories of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolisms. Had they been as effective as planned, it could have saved many lives. The intention was for the filters to catch the blood clots before causing harm. Considering the number of lawsuits filed against the manufacturers, the devices have clearly caused significant harm.
According to the complaints filed in hundreds of lawsuits, the devices were supposed to be easily retrievable after serving the intended purpose. This, however, is not the case. The filters reportedly tend to fracture while they are still in the arteries of patients. Small metal shards, similar to needles, travel in the blood throughout the bodies of the patients, causing internal lacerations. In some cases, plaintiffs claimed that the entire IVC filter dislodged and caused severe damage as it migrated through their arteries.
Reportedly, in a significant number of defective drugs and medical devices lawsuits the court finds that the manufacturing companies were fully aware of the risks and dangers, but preferred not to divulge it. Moreover, in the case of IVC filters, alternatives exist that could effectively provide anti-clotting protection without such a high-risk level. Victims of such damage may find comfort in knowing that the services of experienced product liability attorneys who focus on cases such as these are available in Tennessee to pursue financial relief and navigate claims for them.
