IVC Filter Lawsuit

IVC Filter Lawyer

Talk to Our Experienced Attorneys About an IVC Filter Lawsuit

Have you been injured by an implanted inferior vena cava (IVC) filter? If so, you may be entitled to compensation in an IVC filter lawsuit. These small cage-like medical devices are meant to catch blood clots that can lead to pulmonary embolisms. But they have been linked to injuries and deaths. IVC filters can fracture, and pieces may migrate in the body to the lungs or heart. They can puncture veins and organs and cause other serious problems. Difficult and invasive surgery may be needed to remove the filter. The device has been subject to several recalls, but many patients still have them implanted, and IVC filters continue to be used today.

Learn If You May Be Eligible for Compensation

Thousands of IVC filter lawsuits have been filed over the last several years alleging injuries. These lawsuits seek compensation to pay for medical bills and other damages. If you’ve been injured by an IVC filter and want to learn about your legal options, contact the medical product injury lawyers at Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law. For more than 35 years, our law firm has taken on makers of defective medical devices that hurt people.

Reach out to us to have your legal concerns addressed in a free consultation with our IVC filter lawyer. Call us now at (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000, or contact us online.

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Who Is at Risk from a Defective IVC Filter?

IVC filters have been used for decades to treat patients with a history or risk of developing blood clots in the legs or pelvis. The filters are meant to stop the blood clots from traveling to arteries in the lungs, where they can cause potentially fatal pulmonary embolisms. They may be implanted in people who have been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis, which is a blood clot in a deep vein, usually of the leg, or patients who are:

  • Immobile
  • Recent trauma victims
  • Recovering from surgery
  • Suffering from a pulmonary embolism
  • Unable to take anti-coagulant medications or for whom they aren’t effective
  • Otherwise determined to be at risk for a pulmonary embolism.

History of IVC Filters

The earliest IVC filters were permanent. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first removable filters in the late 1990s and early 2000s; they are called retrievable filters. While both permanent and retrievable filters can cause injuries, the retrievable filters, which are intended for short-term use, have a high risk of fracturing if left in the body too long. When they fracture, wire pieces can puncture veins and organs and travel to other parts of the body, including the heart and lungs, potentially resulting in severe injuries or death. They also become more difficult to remove the longer they remain implanted. Because of these risks, in 2010 and again in 2014, the FDA issued safety alerts about long-term use of retrievable filters and advised that they be removed as soon as protection from pulmonary embolisms is no longer necessary and within 54 days after implant.

If you’ve been implanted with an IVC filter or one is being recommended, talk to your doctor about the possible risks versus health benefits. The decision to use an IVC filter is between you and your physician. However, should you suffer complications from its use, an IVC filter lawyer from our firm can examine your case to determine if you may be eligible to file a defective product claim for compensation against the manufacturer.

Who Makes IVC Filters?

There are several companies that make IVC filters. Two of the biggest makers are C.R. Bard and Cook Medical. The filters from these companies have most often been named in past lawsuits. Other makers named in lawsuits include Boston Scientific, Rex Medical, ALN, Argon Medical Devices, Cordis (Johnson & Johnson), B. Braun Medical, and Rafael Medical.

If you were injured by a Bard or Cook IVC filter that migrated, fractured, or otherwise caused harm or if a physician has recommended removal, contact us to learn how we may be able to help you get compensation.

What IVC Filters Are Recalled?

Following are IVC filters that have been voluntarily recalled by makers:

  • Cook Medical recalled 91,000 Gunther Tulip and Celect Platinum filters in 2019
  • C.R. Bard recalled approximately 1,200 Denali filters in 2015
  • Cordis recalled 63,000 OptEase filters in 2013
  • B. Braun recalled units of its VenaTech LP in 2008
  • Boston Scientific recalled 18,000 of its Greenfield filters in 2005.

The FDA has not issued any mandatory recalls of IVC filters.

If you’ve been implanted with an IVC filter and have been injured, call today to speak with an experienced defective medical device lawyer. Call (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000 for a free consultation. 

How Much Compensation Do You Get for an IVC Filter Lawsuit?

Our IVC Filter Attorney Pursues Maximum Damages

How much compensation you might get in an IVC filter lawsuit depends upon the circumstances and severity of your injuries. Compensation is based on damages, which are all the losses you’ve experienced because of the defective IVC filter. Here are possible damages in IVC filter cases:

  • All medical expenses related to injuries, including surgeries to remove the device
  • Reimbursement for present and future lost wages
  • Payment for physical and emotional pain and suffering
  • Punitive damages for gross negligence by the device manufacturer.

If your family member died due to an IVC filter, you may be able to get compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit. Damages in wrongful death suits may include payment for the deceased person’s medical bills, funeral and burial expenses, and lost income. Additionally, survivors may be able to get compensation for their own emotional pain and suffering, loss of love and support, and other damages. In Texas, spouses, children, and parents can file wrongful death claims.

Once we learn about your injuries or the death of your family member, we can counsel you about what your IVC filter lawsuit may be worth. Contact us to schedule a free consultation with a knowledgeable attorney.

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IVC Filter Lawsuit Q & A

It is stressful and confusing to be injured by a medical device that is meant to help you. To better understand your rights, what an IVC filter lawsuit involves and the most current IVC filter lawsuit updates, read the following answers to common questions. For answers to your specific questions, call our law firm at (713) 973-8888.

How do I know if I have an IVC filter lawsuit?

If you were implanted with an IVC filter and experienced complications from it that caused injuries, there is a good chance you may be eligible to file a claim. Complications could include punctures or other injuries to veins and organs from device migration, deep vein thrombosis, infections, fluid buildup around the heart, or the filter not doing its job because of clogging or other issues. If you had to have replacement surgery for a filter that didn’t work properly or surgery to remove a fractured filter and its parts, you may have an IVC filter lawsuit. Reach out to us for a free consultation to learn how we can help you.

How many people have filed lawsuits?

There have been thousands of lawsuits filed over defective IVC filters. There have been so many against two of the main manufacturers that cases against them were combined into multi-district litigation. Multi-district litigation is when cases are consolidated to be heard by a single court in order to streamline the process. As of 2019, nearly 6,000 cases against Cook Medical had been consolidated into an MDL in Indiana. Close to 8,500 claims against C.R. Bard were consolidated into an MDL in Arizona.

What are the latest updates on the IVC filter lawsuits?

There have been numerous jury awards and manufacturer settlements in defective IVC filter cases. In June 2021, a Wisconsin woman was awarded $3.3 million after a filter punctured her vein and became embedded in it. Other awards in 2021 include a $2.5 million award in Texas and a nearly $1 million award in an Oregon case. In 2019, a jury awarded $34 million to a Georgia woman after an IVC filter punctured her pancreas, aorta, and veins. There was another award that year for $3 million. In 2018, juries awarded $3.6 million and $1.2 million in two cases. There have also been settlements with manufacturers for undisclosed amounts. There are still thousands of IVC cases pending in the courts and the potential for many more lawsuits to come. If you believe you have been injured by an IVC filter, our attorneys can advise you about your options for filing a lawsuit.

How long will it take before I get compensation from an IVC filter lawsuit?

There is no specific timeline for receiving compensation after filing an IVC filter claim. If a fair settlement that adequately covers your damages can be negotiated with the manufacturer, your case may resolve faster. When cases go to court, it typically takes significantly longer to go through the trial process. And even if you win a jury award, the manufacturer might appeal, depending on the situation, further delaying compensation. However, even if a case goes to trial, it can still settle at any time. There are many variables to an IVC filter claim and how long it may take. If you were implanted with an IVC filter and think it caused your injuries, it is to your benefit to begin the legal process as soon as possible. Contact an IVC filter lawyer for a free case evaluation by calling (713) 973-8888.

How will an IVC filter attorney help me?

We’ll gather all the evidence and help you arrive at a fair monetary value for your case. We’ll file all the paperwork involved, identify expert witnesses to provide testimony on your behalf and reach out to the device manufacturer to negotiate a settlement. If a settlement can’t be reached, we will advise you about the process for taking your lawsuit to court and we will stand up for your rights through the proceedings.

How much will hiring a defective medical device attorney cost me?

At Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law, we get paid only if you get paid. When we win you compensation through a court award or a settlement, we take a previously agreed upon percentage. If we don’t get you any money, you don’t owe us anything. When we accept cases, it is because we believe they are strong and that we can win them. We also provide free consultations so you can learn whether you have a strong IVC filter lawsuit case and how we may be able to get you compensation. Reach out today to schedule a time to speak with us.

Deadline for Filing an IVC Filter Lawsuit

Under the Texas statute of limitations for civil matters, the deadline is generally two years from the date of injury or from when the injury was discovered for filing a product injury claim. However, there are exceptions to filing deadlines. Always speak directly to an attorney to understand what the deadlines are in your individual case. Arrange to speak with an IVC filter lawyer by calling (713) 973-8888 today.

Our IVC Filter Attorney Will Fight for Your Right to Compensation

Arrange a Free Consultation Today

If you were implanted with an IVC filter and suffered complications and injuries, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering and other damages. Our attorneys are skilled at taking on medical device makers who put people’s health at risk by producing defective products. Or if you believe your doctor was negligent in recommending or not properly removing an IVC filter, we may be able to help you understand your options in that situation.

Contact Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law to set up a free consultation with an experienced IVC filter attorney. Call us today at (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000.

Since 1985, our Houston law firm has stood up for the rights of individuals harmed by the negligence of other parties.

Attorney Terry Bryant

Attorney Terry BryantTerry Bryant is Board Certified in personal injury trial law, which means his extensive knowledge of the law has been recognized by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, setting him apart from many other injury attorneys. The 22 years he spent as a Municipal Judge, Spring Valley Village, TX also provides him keen insight into the Texas court system. That experience also helps shape his perspective on personal injury cases and how they might resolve. This unique insight benefits his clients. [ Attorney Bio ]