IVC Filter Lawyer in Dallas, Texas

Thousands of lawsuits have been filed nationwide by people who were injured by IVC filters. Our lawyers in Dallas are helping many people from Texas seek compensation for their medical expenses, injuries, and more.

Need an IVC Filter Lawyer in Dallas, Texas? Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans. If you or a loved one has an IVC filter implant, even if you were not injured by side effects, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit.

IVC Filter Lawsuits Filed in Texas

Rex Medical and Argon Medical Devices are facing several Option IVC filter lawsuits in Dallas County Circuit Court. In August 2016, a lawsuit (PDF) was filed by a man who has a broken filter permanently embedded in his body because it is too dangerous to remove.

Another lawsuit (PDF) in Dallas was filed by a woman from Texas who developed serious blood clots, chronic pain, and circulation problems due to a defective filter that cannot be removed safely. According to the lawsuit:

“As long as the Option filter remains embedded in her vena cava, Plaintiff is at risk for further thrombosis and future filter fractures, migrations and perforations and tilting. She faces numerous health risks, including the risk of death.”

Bard IVC Filter Lawyer

C.R. Bard is facing over 1,000 lawsuits involving variety of IVC filters. Like a class action, the lawsuits are centralized in one federal court in Arizona — Multi-District Litigation (MDL No. 2641).

Bard Recovery and G2 Linked to 40% 5-Year Fracture Risk

The worst offenders are the Recovery (withdrawn in 2005) and G2 (withdrawn in 2010). Neither filter was recalled, but they are nearly-identical. Several studies have linked both of them to a 40% five-year fracture risk and high rates of fracture and embolization.

Dozens of Deaths and Hundreds of Injuries

In 2015, an investigation by NBC News found 27 deaths and around 300 non-fatal injuries associated with the Recovery. Another 12 deaths were linked to the G2, plus hundreds of non-fatal injuries.

Cook IVC Filter Lawyer

Cook Medical is facing over 1,000 lawsuits involving its retrievable IVC filters, mostly the Celect Vena Cava Filter. These cases are centralized in one federal court in Indiana — MDL No. 2570.

Celect has been on the market since 2007. In 2012, a study showed that 86% of Cook filters perforated the vena cava within a short period of time, and all of them had some degree of perforation within 71 days.

What is an IVC Filter?

IVC filters are implanted in the inferior vena cava (IVC), which is a major vein that carries “blue” blood from the body to the lungs to be re-oxygenated. IVC filters are also called “blood clot filters” because they catch clots and prevent pulmonary embolisms.

Types of Blood Clot Filters

IVC filters come in many shapes, but most are cone-shaped, with up to twelve needle-like wire legs arranged around a central hook. This hook allows doctors to retrieve the filter when it is no longer needed.

C.R. Bard retrievable IVC filters:

• Bard Recovery IVC Filter (withdrawn in 2005)
• Bard G2 IVC Filter
• Bard G2 Express IVC Filter
• Bard G2x
• Meridian
• Eclipse
• Denali

An estimated 250,000 people are implanted with an IVC filter every year in the United States. Most patients have no choice — doctors routinely implant them in patients who have a high risk of blood clots but cannot take blood-thinning medications due to injury or surgery.

“Temporary” IVC Filters Rarely Removed

While the FDA recommends that IVC filters be removed as soon as a patient can take a blood-thinning medication — ideally between 29 and 54 days — less than half are ever removed. Fewer than 10% are removed from trauma patients.

What is the problem?

The problem is that the longer an IVC filter remains in the body, the higher the risk of complications. This is true both for permanent filters and temporary ones. The difference is that temporary filters were not intended for long-term safety, and many are linked to higher risks.

Temporary vs. Permanent IVC Filters

Another difference is that many temporary filters are less sturdy than permanent filters. Enhanced flexibility makes them easier to remove, but increases the risk of fracture. And while permanent filters have been on the market since the 1970s, temporary filters only became popular in the mid-1990s. There are few long-term safety studies.

Filter Fracture

Fracture is a serious complication associated with IVC filters. The filter flexes slightly with every heartbeat, which can stress and weaken the metal over time. Fractures can also occur as a complication of blood clots, physical trauma, abnormal positioning, or vena cava perforation.

Filter Embolization

The broken needle-like leg of a fractured IVC filter can travel in the bloodstream — a complication called “embolization” — until it hits a major organ like the heart or lungs. This can cause a sudden and severe irregular heart rhythm, cardiac arrest, bleeding, and death.

FDA Safety Warnings

The FDA issued a Safety Communication about the risks of IVC filters in August 2010. The agency reported nearly 1,000 adverse events in the previous five years, including:

• Fracture
• Embolization of broken components
• Migration to the heart or lungs
• Perforation of the vena cava
• Blood clots clogging the filter
• Lower-limb Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
• And more

Communities in Dallas County, Texas

IVC Filter Lawsuit Information

Free Confidential Lawsuit Evaluation: If you or a loved one has an IVC Filter, our lawyers would like to speak with you immediately. We are evaluating every case regardless of whether you experienced side effects or not. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit. Please use the form below to contact our lawyers or call us toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 879-3040.

Need an IVC Filter Lawyer in Dallas, Texas?

Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged.

Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”

The Clark Firm has assembled a team of trial lawyers with more than 100 years experience, participation in over 600 jury trials and $260 million in verdicts and/or settlements. Please use the form below to contact our IVC Filter lawyers in Dallas for a free lawsuit review.