IVC Filter Litigation
RDP Law Group represents victims across the nation who have suffered serious injuries due to a defective IVC filter. If you or a loved one are experiencing complications after an IVC filter was implanted, you may have a legal claim and be entitled to recover significant damages from the IVC filter manufacturer.
As of September 1, 2020, RDP Law Group is no longer accepting cases for defective IVC Filters
*** The information on this page is intended for educational purposes only. ***
What you need to know about IVC filter litigation
IVC (Inferior Vena Cava) filters are implanted into a patient’s vena cava (major abdominal vein) and used to trap blood clots thereby preventing them from traveling to the heart or lungs. The filters are a cage-like device typically inserted through the patients groin or neck. The legs of the IVC filter deploy inside the inferior vena cava and capture blood clots before they can reach the heart or lungs.
Due to alleged defective design, IVC filters can cause injuries as they tend to migrate, tilt or perforate the inferior vena cava. Lawsuits have been filed in federal court against manufacturers Cook Medical and C.R. Bard alleging the companies knew about the potential for injury and failed to adequately warn doctors and patients of the risks.
Common injuries and complications
related to defective IVC filters include:
- Filter migration
- Organ / IVC perforation
- Fracturing of the IVC filter
- Tilting of the IVC filter
- Irretrievable IVC filter
- Wrongful death
- Pulmonary embolism
- IVC filter embolization
- Damage to organs
- IVC filter failure
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Blood clots
Lawsuit Information
FDA warnings and named IVC filter manufacturers
In 2013 the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association released a study questioning the effectiveness of IVC filters and reporting the unexpectedly high rate of failure for IVC filters. Also in 2013, the FDA issued an updated warning recommending that doctors remove retrievable IVC filters as soon as possible after the risk of pulmonary embolism has subsided. Unfortunately for some patients estimates indicate that between 10 and 20% of IVC filters cannot be safely removed.
Manufacturer
IVC Filter Model
ALN
Optional
Argon
Option Elite
Bard
Recovery
G2 | G2 Express (G2X)
Eclipse
Denali
Meridian
Boston Scientific
Greenfield
Cook Medical
Celect
Gunter Tulip
Boston Scientific
TrapEase
OptEase
What Should You Do Next?
If you are experiencing one or more of the above complications, the first thing to do is contact your doctor to see if additional treatment or revision surgery is recommended. If IVC filter failure is the culprit, it may be time to consider contacting an experienced IVC filter attorney to file a claim for damages against the manufacturer of the defective IVC filter. Below are a few steps you can take to prepare for filing your claim.
- Call facility for medical records
- Document the level of your IVC filter injuries and complications
- Contact RDP Law Group for a free case evaluation
Call Facility for Medical Records:
If you don’t already have them, contact the medical facility where the surgery was performed and request that they send you all your medical records including the operating report and billing statement. The operating report will include the product ID to identify which type of IVC filter was used by your surgeon and the manufacturer of the defective IVC filter.
