Yes, heart injury lawsuits and settlement claims have been filed for IVC plaintiffs. Our firm is filing lawsuits when IVC filters migrate to a patient’s heart. IVC Filter litigation lawyers at our firm can discuss injuries you may have suffered from. This is free and confidential.
Known as “inferior vena cava” filters, they are implanted in a blood vein to prevent clots going to the heart and lungs. FDA adverse event reports document repeated IVC failures resulting in heart injuries.
A filter can be temporary or permanent. IVC filters all are made of thin metal bands that expand in a blood vein. Retrievable filters have hooks and can be removed. Permanent filters are meant for lifetime implantation. IVC filters are meant to stay in a person’s vein and NEVER migrate to:
- The heart,
- The pulmonary artery lungs,
- The kidneys or surrounding veins,
- The liver or surrounding veins, or
- Penetrate through the blood vessel wall
How does an IVC filter migrate into my heart?
Lawsuits for injured plaintiffs and FDA adverse event reports show three ways in which the IVC fails:
1) When the filter is first deployed, the filter does not expand and fails to anchor into the vein wall. The filter flows with the blood into the heart or lungs until it becomes lodged. This terrifying occurrence can be linked to product failure as well as medical errors.
2) Migration of the filter long after implantation. IVCs have tiny leg anchors. If these fail, the filter is dislodged and can travel to the heart.
3) The fracture of IVC parts and the piece or pieces can flow into the heart or lungs. This is the most common injury. Filters are not supposed to fracture. Lawsuits have investigated the design failures leading to these life-threatening injuries.
Where Does the Filter or Fractured Parts Migrate To?
A migrating or fractured filter poses a serious and immediate danger to patients. Lawyers can evaluate how your injury qualifies for a lawsuit and settlement. The filter or fractured parts can flow to the following heart and lung areas:
- The right atrium,
- The tricuspid valve,
- The tricuspid chordae,
- The right ventricle,
- The pulmonic valve,
- The pulmonic artery, or
- The lung.
How Do You File a Lawsuit for IVC Filter Heart Injuries?
When a client comes to our firm, we determine who made the filter. We search your medical records for product identification. Also, the shape of the filter on an X-ray will determine the type. Sometimes patients receive identification cards. Some of the most common filters are:
- 1) Bard Recovery, G2, Eclipse, Meridian, Denali
- 2) Cook Celect, Gunther Tulip
- 3) Braun VenaTech Convertible, VenaTech LP
We work quickly to determine if the time limit has not run on filing a suit. We then determine the appropriate court to file a suit.
What Medical Care is Given for Migrated IVC Filters?
Heart and lung surgeons will evaluate the location of the filter, the dangers of future injuries, and the risks and benefits of removal surgery. Some patients urgently require surgery. Other patients have time to be evaluated.
Lawsuit settlements take into consideration all past pain & suffering as well as your future prognosis. If there are remaining filter parts in your heart and lungs, surgeons will request annual monitoring to make sure remaining fractures are safely scarred into tissue. Evidence of movement into other organs or critical body areas may necessitate surgery.
If you or someone you know has suffered from complications of an IVC filter, contact our New York product liability lawyers at Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo Plotkin & Hellman LLP for help exploring your legal options.
