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From 2002 to 2005, thousands of patients were given a blood filter known as the Bard Recovery IVC filter. This filter was supposed to protect them, by preventing blood clots from reaching the heart. Instead, in many cases the Recovery IVC filter became a threat in its own right—breaking apart, blocking the blood flow, migrating through the body or even puncturing surrounding tissue. Manufacturer C.R. Bard is not being held liable through lawsuits by a number of patients and their families. If you or your loved one suffered a complication after receiving the Recovery IVC filter, legal help is available. You need to talk to a Bard Recovery IVC filter lawsuit lawyer
John Foy & Associates knows how to help. We have fought for patients and their families for over 20 years—and we know how to win, even against big medical corporations like Bard. We never charge you anything unless we can recover money for you. Let us give you a FREE consultation. Call us at 404-400-4000 and get your free consultation today.
How is the Bard Recovery IVC filter supposed to work?
The Recovery is a type of filter that helps prevent blood clots from reaching the heart. On its own, it resembles a tiny metal spider. Once inserted into a blood vessel known as the inferior vena cava (IVC), the “legs” of the spider brace against the blood vessel walls and it acts like a basket or net. Clots drift into it and stay clot as they pass through the bloodstream.
That makes IVC filters like the Recovery potentially life-saving devices, especially for individuals who are particularly prone to deep vein thrombosis (DVT)—a condition where blood clots form in the veins of the legs. These clots can work their way up the body through the IVC until they reach the heart, causing life-threatening heart attacks.
But even for individuals at high risk of DVT, a filter is not the only option. Blood thinning medications can be used to prevent clots, without the surgery required by an IVC filter. In general, doctors only use an IVC filter in emergencies or situations where a patient cannot take blood thinners.
Unfortunately, even for those patients, we now know that the filter can potentially do more harm than good.
What went wrong with the Bard Recovery IVC filter?
We now know that there were two main problems with the Recovery. The first is that it has a high risk of malfunctioning. This can involve the filter moving, breaking, or hurting the surrounding tissue. For example:
- Fragmentation of the Recovery. When the device breaks or “fragments,” pieces of it move through the bloodstream. These pieces can puncture the blood vessel wall or end up in the heart.
- Perforation. Perforation means that the device, or a piece of it, breaks through the walls of the blood vessel and pokes into other tissue or organs. It can be extremely painful and dangerous, and lead to internal bleeding.
- Embolization. Embolization refers to blocking the blood vessel. In other words, the Recovery filter or fragments of it can end up preventing blood from getting to the heart. This effectively defeats the purpose of the device—and can be deadly.
- Migration. Once implanted, the Recovery filter is supposed to stay still. But it can tilt or come loose and end up moving through the blood vessel. This increases the changes of embolization and other serious complications.
All of these risks are compounded by the second problem with the Bard Recovery: it’s not easily retrievable. Bard intended for the Recovery to stay in the body long-term. That means that surgery to remove a faulty filter can be difficult and risky on its own. Today, doctors are advised to use retrievable short-term IVC filters, and leave them in only 29 to 54 days at most.
These problems aren’t unique to the Bard Recovery filter. But the Recovery does stand out as one of the riskier IVC filters, with very high rates of complications. In fact, a 2010 study in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that a 25% of the Bard Recovery patients in their test group suffered migration or embolization. That’s a staggering 1 out of 4 patients.
What can I do if I was harmed by a Bard Recovery IVC filter?
A number of patients have already brought forward lawsuits against manufacturer C.R. Bard related to the Recovery devices. If you believe you were harmed because of your IVC filter, or if you think it may have been a factor in a health event you suffered, you could have a strong claim. And you could have the right to a substantial financial settlement.
Your settlement could include three types of damages:
- Recovering all your costs. Many patients struggle with steep medical bills, months of lost work time, or an inability to ever return to work. Legally, you may have a right to recover all of these costs—a 100% reimbursal of every cent.
- Your personal suffering. The effects of a defective IVC filter can be devastating. You may have had months of pain, and required additional surgery. You may have suffered a heart attack or blood clot and may even have permanent or long-term changes in your life. The law allows you to recover money for these losses. In some cases, these damages can triple or quadruple the amount you recover.
- Wrongful death. Tragically, not every patient has survived their complications with the Bard Recovery. If your loved one passed away, you can recover many of the damages above as well as final expenses,
We don’t believe money can ever change what happened—especially when a human life is involved. The courts use this money to try to offset the impact of these tragedies, and help you and your family move forward with financial stability. This money is your right. Take the time to talk to a lawyer.
What if I don’t know whether my IVC filter was a Bard Recovery or not?
That’s okay. Our legal team knows how to pull records, find out what type of filter was used in your procedure, and assemble the documentation to prove it. We can get you answers even if you’re not sure. And the Bard Recovery isn’t the only IVC filter implicated in some lawsuits—you have rights if you were the victim of any defective medical product, no matter who made it.
Talk to a Bard Recovery Lawsuit Lawyer for Free
John Foy & Associates has one mission: to champion those who were wronged. Let us put over 20 years of experience to work for you. We offer a FREE consultation, and we charge you nothing if we can’t recover money for you. Contact us at 404-400-4000 or fill out the form to your right and get your FREE consultation today.
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