Blood Clot Filter Lawsuit

As the popularity of retrievable blood clot filters has increased, so has concern about the safety risks associated with leaving the implants in patients who are not at risk of a pulmonary embolism. The FDA has issued several warnings. Now, device-makers are facing lawsuits for failing to warn about the risk.

What You Can Do & How We Can Help

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently evaluating IVC filter cases in all 50 states, regardless of whether you have been injured or not. If you or somebody you know was implanted with an IVC filter, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Medical Device Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

What is the problem?

Blood clot filters, also known as “vena cava filters,” are primarily implanted in patients who are at risk of blood clots but cannot take a blood-thinning medication. The implants prevent pulmonary embolism, which is a life-threatening medical condition in which blood clots from the legs travel in the bloodstream, through the heart, and get trapped in the lungs.

Retrievable Blood Clot Filters

The popularity of blood clot filters boomed in the 1990s, when the FDA approved retrievable devices. Unlike permanent filters, these temporary implants are supposed to be removed when a patient is no longer at risk of a pulmonary embolism.

C.R. Bard Blood Clot Filters

Cook Blood Clot Filters

Other Retrievable Blood Clot Filters

FDA Safety Warning for Blood Clot Filters

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that doctors should remove a retrievable blood clot filter within 29-54 days after it is implanted to reduce the risk of long-term complications, unless the patient still needs protection against pulmonary embolism.

Studies suggest that the risk of complications increases when temporary filters are not removed when a patient is no longer at risk of blood clots. In 2010, the FDA warned:

“Since 2005, the FDA has received 921 device adverse event reports involving IVC filters, of which 328 involved device migration, 146 involved embolizations (detachment of device components), 70 involved perforation of the IVC, and 56 involved filter fracture.”

Blood Clot Filter Lawsuits

The manufacturers of blood clot filters are facing a growing number of lawsuits from people who say the implants are defective. In August 2014, attorneys asked federal judges to centralize 27 lawsuits pending against Cook Medical into one federal court. Members of this litigation accuse manufacturers of selling a defective device and failing to adequately test, design, or warn about its risks.

Safety Risks

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) – Blood clots in the lower legs
Filter fracture
Broken fragments of the filter may travel in the body
Migration of the filter away from its intended position
Blood clots clog the filter and obstruct circulation
Perforation of the vena cava, heart, or lungs
Surgery may not be able to remove broken pieces of the filter
And more

Do I have an IVC Filter Lawsuit?

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is evaluating IVC filter cases in all 50 states, regardless of whether you were injured or not. If you or someone you know received an IVC filter implant, please contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit.

Please use the form below to contact our Defective Medical Device Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

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