Houston IVC Filters Lawyer

IVC filters have been linked to a number of severe complications and injuries, including (but not limited to):

• Filters failing to open or tilting upon implantation
• Device migration, in which the entire device moves from the implantation site
• Fracturing of the filter, which can lead to fragments of the device migrating to the heart and/or lungs
• Perforation of the organs, tissues and/or blood vessels
• Internal bleeding.

While these complications can arise when IVC filters are being implanted, they can also develop after implantation and when removing (retrieving) the device.

Over the past few decades, thousands of people have reported developing serious complications related to IVC filters. These reports have spurred the FDA to issue a number of warnings and recalls for IVC filters, including (but not limited to) the following:

• 2015 Warning to C.R. Bard, Inc.² – In this warning, the FDA alleged that C.R. Bard had committed a number of violations with regards to the company’s various IVC filters. These violations included misrepresenting the safety and efficacy of its IVC filters, failing to validate its manufacturing quality-control procedures and failing to comply with the FDA’s medical reporting requirements.
• 2015 Recall of C.R. Bard’s Denali IVC Filter³ – Packaging for these filters did not include warnings about metal sensitivities and the risk of sepsis, sparking this recall.
• 2013 Safety Communication regarding All IVC Filters⁴ – This alert was issued to any doctors or clinicians who implant IVC filters or care for patients with these filters. In this communication, the FDA urged medical professionals to remove retrievable (temporary) IVC filters as soon as the threat of an embolism has passed. Based on their research and analysis, FDA regulators strongly recommended that retrievable IVC filters be removed between 29 and 54 days following implantation.
• 2013 Recall of Cordis Corp.’s OPTEASE Vena Cava Filter⁵ – This recall was sparked by printing errors on the filters’ packaging, which resulted in many of these filters being implanted upside down.
• 2005 Recall of Boston Scientific’s Greenfield Vena Cava Filter⁶ – This recall was issued due to reported filter failures involving “detachment at the bond between the carrier capsule and the outer sheath” of the filter.
• Another 2005 recall of Boston Scientific’s Greenfield Vena Cava Filter⁷ – This recall occurred due to the “lack of taper on the braided sheath” of these systems, which increased the risk of blood vessel damage and perforation, as well as internal bleeding.

Thousands of injured people have filed lawsuits against the makers of IVC filters, alleging that these companies:

• Failed to adequately test the safety of IVC filters before bringing them to market
• Mispresented the safety and efficacy of IVC filters
• Failed to warn the public about the serious risks and complications associated with IVC filters.

As IVC filter lawsuits have mounted across the nation, MDLs for some brands of IVC filters have been established by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML). Intended to facilitate discovery and establish standard rulings for similar claims, the IVC filter MDLs that have been established to date include (but may not be limited to):

• The IVC Filter MDL for devices made by Cook Medical, Inc. (MDL No. 2570)⁸ – This is currently underway in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana.
• The IVC Filter MDL for devices made by C.R. Bard (MDL No. 2641)⁹ – This is currently proceeding in the U.S. District Court, District of Arizona.

While it remains to be seen if the JPML will initiate MDLs for brands of IVC filters, those hurt by an IVC filter have the option to file an individual lawsuit against the device manufacturer, regardless of whether an MDL has been set up.

To find out more about your options for filing an IVC filter claim and seeking compensation, contact the Amaro Law Firm.

A defective medical device lawyer at the Amaro Law Firm can help you hold negligent manufacturers accountable for the harm and losses you have sustained due to an IVC filter.

Call (713) 352-7975, text (281) 612-8024 or email our firm for your FREE consultation and essential information regarding your potential claim.

Representing individuals and families from across the U.S. in IVC filter claims, we have a proven record of success in dangerous drug (and other personal injury) claims, as affirmed by testimonials from our former clients, as well as our 5-star ratings on Google and Facebook.

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1: More information regarding the FDA 510(k) process
2: FDA July 2015 Warning Letter to C.R. Bard, Inc.
3: FDA 2015 Recall of C.R. Bard’s Denali IVC Filter
4: FDA 2013 Warning regarding all IVC Filters
5: FDA 2013 Recall of Cordis Corp.’s OPTEASE Vena Cava Filter
6: FDA 2005 Recall of Boston Scientific’s Greenfield Vena Cava Filter
7: FDA’s second 2005 Recall of Boston Scientific’s Greenfield Vena Cava Filter
8: Cook IVC Filter MDL
9: Bard IVC Filter MDL