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If you’ve had an IVC filter anytime in the past 20 years, there’s a good chance it was made by Cook Medical. Cook IVC filters are among the most common ones in use, and patients are alleging that the devices have put their lives in danger. Cook’s IVC filters are designed to catch blood clots and prevent pulmonary embolism—a potentially fatal condition.
But these IVC filters can come out of place, break apart, and potentially cause problems of their own, particularly if they are not removed within a few months. If you or someone you love suffered complications that you believe are related to a Cook IVC filter, you are not alone. And you have options. You need to talk to a Cook IVC Filter lawsuit lawyer.
John Foy & Associates have the experience and resources to help you. For over 20 years, we have championed the victims of faulty medical devices—and won them the settlements they deserve. We are currently investigating possible cases related to any type of IVC filter manufactured by Cook—and we want to talk to you.
Let us give you a FREE, in-depth consultation to help you determine if you have a case. We charge nothing unless we win you money. Call us at 404-400-4000 and get your free consultation today.
What Are Cook Medical’s IVC Filters Used for?
IVC filters are tiny medical devices used to capture blood clots from the lower body and prevent them from reaching the lungs or heart. Specifically, they are designed to reduce the risk of pulmonary embolism, a condition where a blood clot—or other material—lodges itself in the arteries of the lung, preventing blood flow and causing chest pain and potentially death.
It is a very dangerous condition, and some people are particularly vulnerable to it. This includes patients who are recovering in bed after surgery, obese and diabetic individuals, and others.
Normally, pulmonary embolism (PE) can be prevented with blood thinners, but not everyone can take them. That’s when a device like Cook’s IVC filters is used. It’s a small “basket” that resembles a net with metal legs.
The filter is inserted in a blood vein known as the inferior vena cava (IVC), the main vein that brings blood and potential clots up from the lower body. The “basket” or filter catches blood clots and holds them until they break apart, while letting blood pass by.
Ideally, these filters should be used on a temporary basis and removed within a few months. But they can cause serious complications, especially if left in long-term.
Which IVC filters does Cook Make?
Cook has marketed two particularly prominent IVC filters:
- Günther Tulip. This was one of the first “retrievable” IVC filters, meaning it was designed so that surgeons could remove it weeks or months after it was first implanted. Unfortunately, its metal legs can embed into the walls of the IVC vein, among other possible problems. And the longer it’s left in the body, the higher the risk of complications—including the potential for a failed retrieval.
- Celect. This is a newer “retrievable” device first introduced in 2008. However, it was introduced in a way that allowed it to bypass many of the FDA’s normal requirements for testing and approval before marketing.
We are investigating potential lawsuits for patients who have had either of these devices. If you’re not sure what device you received, or whether it was made by Cook, we can help you get the answer.
What Are the Potential Complications and Risks of an Ivc Filter?
The biggest potential risks of an IVC filter happen when it either moves out of place, breaks apart, or digs into the surrounding tissue. Complications are most likely when a filter has been left in longer than 3-4 months. However, it is possible for complications to develop even filters that are left in for much shorter periods of time.
Some potential complications related to IVC filters include:
- Fracture or fragmentation of the device
- Migration, where the device or pieces of it move through the blood vein
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Pulmonary embolism
- Chest pain
- Cardiac tamponade, a condition where fluid fills the tissue around the heart
- Difficulty breathing
- Organ damage
- Death
You may have a case even if you or your loved one did not experience these symptoms, or if you’re not sure whether your health issue was caused by the IVC.
What Are My Rights? Do I Have a Cook IVC Filter Lawsuit?
Any patient who was injured by a defective medical device has a right to recover money. And if the patient died, their family may have a right to a wrongful death lawsuit on their behalf. These kinds of financial recoveries cannot erase the pain or undo what happened, but they can help you and your family at a crucial time.
Your claim could include money for:
- All medical costs
- All lost work time
- Pain and suffering
- Serious personal losses like a reduction in mobility
- In a wrongful death case, money for the family as well as funeral costs
It’s important to understand that you may have a claim even if you did not experience symptoms or complications. If a medical device is defective, it can be a source of risk even if nothing bad has happened yet. And patients can experience health conditions that they don’t even realize may be related to their device.
If you have used any model of Cook IVC filter, you may be affected. It costs you nothing to speak to a lawyer, and it will get you the answers you need.
Talk to a Cook IVC Filter Lawyer for Free
John Foy & Associates offers some of the most experienced and respected defective medical device attorneys in the country—with a mission of helping patients and victims, never the big medical companies. We charge nothing if we don’t recover money for you. Let us give you a FREE consultation and put 20+ years of experience to work for you. Contact us at 404-400-4000 or fill out the form to your right and get your FREE consultation today.