A lawsuit has been filed against C.R. Bard Inc. and Bard Peripheral Vascular Inc. alleging the Bard Eclipse Optional IVC Filter caused severe vein filter side effects in the plaintiff.

Plaintiff Ellen R., a Pennsylvania resident, says she underwent surgery to have an Eclipse filter placed in April 2012.

In September of that year, Ellen’s doctor tried to remove the filter but found that the device had tilted, causing it to lodge in her inferior vena cava, according to the IVC filter lawsuit.

“As a direct, foreseeable and proximate result of Defendants’ wrongdoing as described herein, Plaintiff was implanted with and Eclipse filter and has sustained and will continue to sustain severe and debilitating injuries,” the lawsuit states.

As a result of suffering alleged vein filter side effects, Ellen has brought forth a number of counts against the manufacturers, including strict products liability, failure to warn, negligent misrepresentation, breach of express and implied warranties, fraudulent concealment, and violations of unfair trade and consumer protection acts.

Ellen is seeking relief in the form of compensatory damages, punitive damages, disgorgement of profits, restitutions, statutory damages, attorneys’ fees and costs, pre-and post-judgment interest, and any additional relief deemed proper by the Court.

What are IVC Filters?

IVC filters are medical devices designed to trap blood clots that would otherwise travel in the veins from the lower body to the heart and lungs. IVC refers to the inferior vena cava, the body’s largest vein where these medical devices are placed.

IVC filters have been on the market since the 1960s. Some of these devices are meant to be permanent in nature, while others are intended to have a more temporary function.

The Eclipse filter is one of Bard’s “retrievable” IVC filters. These filters are designed to be placed temporarily in a patient until the risk of the blood clot has passed. After that time, the filter is designed to be removed from the patient.

In susceptible individuals, blood clots travel from the patient’s lower body through the vena cava into their lungs. These blood clots often develop in the deep veins of the legs, causing a condition known as deep vein thrombosis, or DVT.

Once these blood clots travel to the lungs, they are called a pulmonary embolism, or PE. Pulmonary embolism can be very serious and even fatal.

Many times, patients at risk for deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism are given oral anticoagulant medications to thin their blood and lessen their chances for developing blood clots.

However, certain individuals are unable to take oral blood thinner medications for a variety of reasons, and these patients may benefit from the placement of an IVC filter.

Vein Filter Side Effects

A number of vein filter side effects have been reported for filters made by Bard and other manufacturers. These side effects include:

• Filter fracture
• Filter tilting, reducing efficacy
• Filter migration
• Filter breakage
• Perforation of organs by the filter

Filing an IVC Filter Lawsuit

If you have experienced side effects after the placement of an IVC filter, you could be eligible for compensation for your injury. An IVC filter attorney can review your case and can help you decide if filing a vein filter side effects lawsuit is right for you.

The Eclipse Vein Filter Side Effects Lawsuit is Case No. 2:16-cv-00510, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine.