Speak With a Compassionate Surgical Stapler Lawyer
Surgical staplers use staples to close incisions during surgeries and other procedures. They are sometimes used in place of stitches. Unfortunately, surgical staplers can and do malfunction and cause injuries.
Defective surgical staplers have been linked to over 9,000 serious injuries and more than 360 deaths. Over a recent seven-year period, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration received more than 32,000 reports of stapler and staple malfunctions. Some of the surgical staplers most often used in the U.S. have been subject to massive recalls by the FDA because of defects.
Get a Free Consultation and Find Out Whether You Have a Case
Medical devices should help you, not hurt you. If you’ve been injured by surgical staples, the accident and injury law office of Terry Bryant is standing by to speak with you. Call us at (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000 to arrange a free, no-obligation consultation about your case. You may be able to get compensation for your injuries through a surgical stapler lawsuit.
Painful Injuries Caused by Surgical Staples
There are a variety of dangerous and often very painful injuries caused by surgical staples. They include:
- Organ and soft tissue damage
- Digestive system issues
- Internal bleeding
- Blood clots
- Open wounds
- Infections
- Allergic reactions
- Fistulas (abnormal connections between organs)
- Sepsis (life-threatening response to infection)
- Death.
If you or a loved one has experienced such an injury in a surgery or other procedure, it could be due to a defective stapler. We can help you discover how your injuries happened by investigating all the evidence in your case. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us for help by dialing (713) 973-8888.
Compensation in a Surgical Staples Lawsuit
Medical device makers should be held responsible when innocent people are harmed by their products. In the case of surgical staplers, there have been several recent awards in the millions of dollars against negligent makers of these devices. By bringing a legal claim with the help of our experienced law firm, we will fight to get you maximum compensation for the harm you’ve suffered.
Get Compensation for Your Injuries
You may be able to get money through a surgical stapler lawsuit to pay for the following damages related to your injury:
- Medical expenses. This includes payment for doctor bills, hospitalization, X-rays and other procedures, prescription drug costs, and other medical expenses related to your surgical staples injury.
- Lost income. Payment for lost income can include days missed at work while recuperating from injuries, as well as payment for reduced or lost ability to work at all.
- Pain and suffering. Pain from surgical staples that pierce organs or otherwise harm the body is often incredibly severe. Pain and suffering damages pay for your physical pain and the emotional trauma caused by injuries.
Make Responsible Parties Pay for Loss of Your Loved One
Sadly, defective surgical stapler malfunctions have been linked to hundreds of deaths. If you lost a family member, you could get compensation by holding the stapler manufacturer or other party accountable in a wrongful death claim. In Texas, spouses, children, and parents of the deceased can file for wrongful death. Damages that may be claimed include medical costs, funeral and burial expenses, lost wages and inheritance, pain and suffering, lost love and companionship, and others.
Contact Our Experienced Attorneys for Help
Contact us today so that we can review your case and advise you about your options for a legal claim and what damages you may be able to ask for. Call us at (713) 973-8888 to schedule a free case consultation with one of our knowledgeable product injury lawyers.
How Defective Surgical Stapler Injuries Happen
How do injuries from surgical staples happen? According to FDA data, the most common problems with surgical staplers that can lead to injuries are because of:
- Misfirings, which can lead to staples being put in the wrong place, severely harming tissues and organs
- Difficulty in firing and failure to fire, leading to delays in stapling large, open wounds and, potentially, to infections
- Malformation of staples, which can lead to reopening of wounds if malformed staples are applied
- Misapplied staples that are applied to the wrong area or that are the wrong size, which can lead to the need for additional surgeries and other complications.
Liability in Surgical Staples Lawsuits
Who can be held accountable in surgical staples cases? Surgical stapler manufacturers have had numerous recalls by the FDA against their defective products. Two of the biggest names in manufacturing surgical staplers commonly used by U.S. medical providers have numerous lawsuits against them. They are:
- Ethicon, a subsidiary of multibillion-dollar corporation Johnson & Johnson
- Covidien, owned by Medtronic, Inc., also a billion-dollar company.
There are other makers of potentially defective surgical staplers as well. Once we learn about your case, we can advise you about who may be held liable in a legal claim. In some cases, doctors who misapply staples or otherwise misuse staplers may also be named in claims. Call us to learn more at (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000.
Surgical Staples Injury Questions & Answers
Surgical staples are used to close wounds, both inside and outside the body. They’re typically used for larger and more complex wounds that would be difficult to stitch or for areas of the body that are hard to suture. They’re also used for wounds that need to be closed quickly. Surgical staples can be straight, curved, or circular and made out of various materials, including titanium, stainless steel, chromium, nickel, iron, and plastic. There are also staples made of absorbable materials.
Surgical staples are used in a variety of surgeries, including routinely in C-sections and appendectomies. They are used in “stomach stapling” operations including gastric bypass, gastric sleeve, and other bariatric weight-loss surgeries. They’re used in gastrointestinal surgeries, including colostomies and others. Staples are also often used to close wounds following heart and lung surgeries. They’re also used in knee and hip replacements and other orthopedic surgeries. These are just some examples.
As shown by FDA numbers, not all surgical staplers and staples are safe. Imagine when you use a stapler in the office. It’s not unusual for it to jam, bend staples, or otherwise malfunction. The same can happen with defective surgical staplers. If a surgical stapler misfires, the staple can end up in the wrong place. If the stapler jams, the wound will not be closed as quickly as it needs to be, possibly leading to infections and other issues. A whole host of problems can occur when surgical staplers malfunction or are used incorrectly.
Internal surgical staples, such as those used to connect organs, may stay in the body permanently. Some internal staples absorb on their own over a period of time, taking up to six months to dissolve. If there are problems with these staples, serious internal injuries can occur.
When staples stay in too long it can lead to scarring, infection and other issues. The skin can also grow over staples that are left in too long. If your staples were left in too long and have caused injuries, speak to our surgical staples lawyer about how we may be able to help you get compensation.
Surgical staples aren’t made to fall out on their own. They must be removed by medical personnel, unless they are made of absorbable material. Healthcare providers follow strict procedures and use special tools to minimize the risk of complications, including infections and other serious problems. But if your staples were removed too soon, too late, or without attention to proper safety procedures and you were injured, reach out to our firm.
Signs of Surgical Staple Complications
If staples were used in your surgery, look for these signs of complications:
- Fever
- Excessive pain or new pain
- Redness and swelling at surgery site
- Wound reopening or bleeding
- Pus or bad-smelling discharge
- Red streaks from the wound area
- A darkening or drying around the area.
Seek medical attention right away if you see symptoms of surgical staple complications.
Surgical Staples Lawsuit Statute of Limitations
There are time limits (statutes of limitations, in legal terms) for filing injury lawsuits. It’s smart not to wait to speak with an attorney when you’ve been hurt by a malfunctioning medical product. We’ll advise you about your claim options and claim and legal deadlines based on the individual facts of your case.
Don’t Wait to Get Highly Skilled Legal Help. Call Us Today.
Our experienced defective medical device lawyers know how to take on big corporations that negligently manufacturer products that harm people. We also understand the evidence needed to be successful in cases of medical malpractice if a healthcare provider contributed to your surgical staple injuries. Once we learn all the circumstances of your injuries, we will advise you about your options for getting compensation through a surgical staples lawsuit. Call for a free, no-obligation consultation at (713) 973-8888. The accident and injury law office of Terry Bryant is led by a former Texas judge who has in-depth understanding of the law – and has been fighting for justice for injury victims for many years.
Attorney Terry Bryant
Terry 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 ]