Many West Virginia residents have received IVC filters in their bodies in order to prevent blood clots from reaching their lungs. However, these devices have proven to be more harm than help, and doctors are reducing their usage. Patients who have been injured by IVC filters are now filing lawsuits against the makers of the device.
The major issue with IVC filters is that they are often not removed after they are placed in the body. The longer they remain inside of a patient, the more they are prone to fracture and migrate out of place. When they move out of position, they can harm the organs and tissues in the path of the filters. Some patients have even reported vein perforation.
Over a million patients received IVC filters between 2005 and 2014. Now, many of these patients are walking around with a ticking time bomb in their bodies. There have been over 14,000 lawsuits filed. The plaintiffs claim that IVC filters are defectively designed insofar as they cannot withstand the rigors of the human body and that the device manufacturers knew this when selling the product. Many doctors are now opting for anticoagulants instead of implanting IVC filters, but that does not help the many people who still have these devices in their bodies and are not able to have them removed.
If a patient received an IVC filter and suffered injuries from the fracture or migration of the device, they may be entitled to substantial financial compensation. They may want to retain a mass torts attorney to learn more about their legal rights. The lawyer may file a product liability lawsuit on a patient’s behalf as they join the growing number of plaintiffs with cases in court seeking compensation for the injuries that they have suffered.
