IVC Filter Lawyers in Michigan
Legally Reviewed and Edited by: Terry Cochran
Patients who are bed-ridden, recently underwent an invasive surgery, are being treated for an existing heart condition, or have swollen legs are at a higher risk of catching blood clots. This is why many doctors advise the patient to undergo proactive treatment which could help avoid the development of blood clots moving toward the lungs or heart.
Inferior Vena Cava filters, also known as IVC filters are a common choice for this kind of proactive treatment. These filters are constructed of metal and resemble an inverted cone. Inserted into the Inferior Vena Cava vein in the abdomen, IVC filters prevent blood clots from reaching the lungs and heart.
Unfortunately, many injuries, medical complications, and life-threatening situations have been tied to the filters over the years. If you have experienced an injury related to an IVC filter, or one of your loved ones died due to complications, contact Michigan IVC attorneys at Cochran, Kroll, & Associates, P.C. to discuss your options.
Complications and injuries
Surgeons should always do their best to place the IVC at a location that does not disturb regular blood flow, but still captures passing blood clots. Unfortunately, the initial placement does not guarantee that no further complications will develop.
Although an IVC should stay in one place after implantation, some cases do arise where the filters migrate within the vein and contribute to potentially life-threatening injuries, due to the device’s narrow metal struts.
The metal struts help block clots, when in the proper position. In the wrong position, these struts can damage vein walls and penetrate neighboring organs, causing internal bleeding. Depending on the initial location of the filter, or how far it migrated, the metal struts could even penetrate the heart or lungs resulting in an early, wrongful death.
In some cases, IVC filters will stay at the correct location within the vein, but may tilt or fracture. Tilted IVC filters may cause severe pain, punctured veins, or internal bleeding, similarly to migrated filters. Fractured IVC filters can travel to the heart, lugs, and other internal organs, causing serious injuries.
Tilted or fractured filters not only pose an immediate risk to patients while in the bloodstream, they also make the removal process much more dangerous.
Defective IVC filters can also cause extreme damage, pain, and discomfort, even when they were implanted correctly.
Cardiac tamponade
Cardiac tamponade is a medical condition where fluid builds up around the heart, after small pieces of a fractured IVC filter have migrated through the bloodstream up to the heart. The fluids can exert unnecessary pressure on the heart, leading to shortness of breath and extreme dizziness.
Although the small splinters and filter pieces can be removed through surgery, some damage to the heart may be permanent and eventually lead to death.
If you or a loved one are experiencing this condition, do not hesitate to contact an IVC filter lawyer at our law firm. You may be entitled to financial compensation which can be put toward your future medical care and therapies.
Final Thoughts
Unfortunately, wrongful death and medical malpractice cases related to medical devices like IVC filters are not uncommon. There is always a risk of developing complications, worsening the initial condition, serious injury, or even death.
If you or a family member received a filter implant and experienced serious complications, or an early death, you may be entitled to financial compensation – regardless of your medical conditions. If you believe your IVC filter was defective, or have been informed of that fact, you may be able to receive an additional defective medical device settlement.
Contact our legal team of IVC filter attorneys at Cochran, Kroll, & Associates, P.C. by calling 866-MICH-LAW and schedule your free consultation. During our consultation, we will evaluate the merit of your case, provide detailed legal advice, advise you of the statute of limitations and tell you more about the IVC filter lawsuit filing process.
We have won substantial economic and non-economic awards representing clients in medical malpractice and product liability cases, so you can rest assured you are in good hands with our legal team.
Should you decide to move forward with our personal injury lawyers, you won’t have to pay a fee unless we make a recovery on your behalf.
Disclaimer : The information provided is general and not for legal advice. The blogs are not intended to provide legal counsel and no attorney-client relationship is created nor intended.
