Wolf & Pravato's Blogs: Can I Sue for Blood Clot Filter Injuries?

Yes, you can sue for injury due to an Inferior Vena Cava, or IVC, blood clot filter. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration has received hundreds of complaints about IVC filters and the two major manufacturers are facing lawsuits from injured plaintiffs already.

Complaints about IVC blood filters abound and any number of complications may result from their use. Let’s review device basics and some common complications and claims associated with these controversial blood clot filters.

IVC Filters Explained

According to the FDA, “IVC filters are small, cage-like devices that are inserted into the inferior vena cava to capture blood clots and prevent them from reaching the lungs.” The filters are frequently placed in patients at risk for pulmonary embolism, or a blood clot in the lungs.

But leaving them in too long could cause serious problems, the agency warns. The risks start outweighing benefits of leaving the devices implanted at a certain point.

Common Complications

In the hundreds of adverse event complaints reviewed by the FDA, patients suffered injury because IVC filters were not removed soon enough. Some of the common complications associated with use of IVC filters are as follows:

Filter Fracture or Splinter
Filter Migration
Stuck Filter
Tilted Filter
Perforated Organs or Tissues

The FDA has repeatedly warned of the risks associated with IVC filters. Last year, it issued a statement to physicians treating patients with these devices, alerting them to the dangers of leaving them in too long.

The agency wrote, “The FDA recommends that implanting physicians and clinicians responsible for the ongoing care of patients with retrievable IVC filters consider removing the filter as soon as protection from pulmonary embolism is no longer needed.” It encouraged all physicians to consider the risks and benefits of filter removal for each patient.

Talk to a Lawyer

If you have experienced the above-noted complications or anything else that you suspect is linked to your IVC filter, talk to a lawyer. Attorneys often consult for free and work on contingency, so it will cost you nothing to find out more about what your injury may be worth.