IVC Filter Lawsuits

Providing Skillful Representation for Pharmaceutical Injury Victims in Virginia

If you’ve ever had a problem with blood clots, your doctor may have asked to implant a device called an IVC filter. They are meant to catch loose blood clots and prevent them from entering parts of the body where they can cause serious damage or death. However, new evidence is showing that some of these IVC filters are just as dangerous as a clot.

IVC filters from C.R. Bard, Inc. (Bard) and Cook Medical are facing lawsuits for side effects. Patients have experienced complications from these temporary filters, including metal pieces to heart and lungs. In other patients, the product moved from where it was placed, forcing doctors to perform a risky surgery. In some cases, removal is impossible.

A study published in 2010 by the Department of Cardiology of York Hospital in York, Pennsylvania found that the Bard filter had a high prevalence of injury due to fracture or embolism. In their study of 80 patients, 13 patients (16%) experienced one strut fracture, and three patients experienced life-threatening symptoms. One patient died suddenly at home.

Our Virginia product liability attorneys believe Bard and Cook did not adequately warn doctors about the potential risks, putting people with already-shaky health at further risk of danger.

Shady Approval Process

There’s more than just bad side effects, though. The manufacturing process and even the approval process may have been tampered with. In 2014, the FDA issued a warning to the CEO of C.R. Bard, Inc., stating that it found violations in the company’s facilities, including misbranding, quality system, and medical device reporting violations.

There were also unethical practices discovered during the FDA approval process. One physician reported that the device was defective, but Bard never submitted the evaluation to the FDA. It is also reported that a company executive also forged the signature of a regulatory specialist—who refused to sign an approval based on findings of poor design—on an FDA application.

There is clear evidence that C.R. Bard and Cook Medical tried to rush a product to market and hide any proof that the device was dangerous. If you have received an IVC filter and are experiencing negative symptoms, or have been told that you can never have it removed, you may be eligible for compensation.

Kalfus & Nachman PC is ready to help you. Call our Virginia product liability lawyers today at (855) 880-8163. Don’t let the drug companies get away with damaging your health.