Many new lawsuits are joining in the multidistrict litigation (MDL) process over complications allegedly caused by the placement of IVC filters.

There is currently a multidistrict litigation in process for IVC filter complication lawsuits from manufacturer, Bard, that is in Arizona federal court with 709 actions pending as of July 15.

Another IVC filter multidistrict litigation is taking place in federal court in the Southern District of Indiana for filters manufactured by Cook Medical with another 783 actions.

Combined, a historical count of actions against Cook at 2,607 and Bard at 728 puts a total of 3,335 lawsuits that have been filed against the manufacturers as part of the multidistrict litigation.

Individual lawsuits not in the MDL that are against other companies such as Gunther, Optease and others raise the number even higher.

Multidistrict litigation is established when there are a large number of lawsuits against a manufacturer or similar manufacturers that allege many of the same counts against the defendant(s).

These lawsuits are then streamlined by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation in order to conserve resources for pretrial discovery and to have a more uniform outcome in rulings.

What Are IVC Filters Used For?

Inferior vena cava filters, known more commonly as IVC filters, are small devices used to prevent blood clots from traveling to the heart and lungs of susceptible individuals.

Essentially, the device is a small cage-like object that traps blood clots before the vein has a chance to carry it to the upper body where it may lodge in the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism, or in the heart where it can cause a stroke or heart attack.

IVC filters are typically given to patients who are unable to tolerate oral anticoagulant medications or those who are having a major surgery and oral blood thinners may not be the safest option.

Allegations in IVC Filter Complication Lawsuits

While IVC filters can be very helpful in individuals who may otherwise not be able to have interventions to prevent blood clots traveling to the heart and lungs, they are not without complications.

Some of the complications reported in IVC filter complication lawsuits include:

• Fracture of the filter, leading to filter pieces traveling elsewhere in the body of the patient
• Migration of the entire filter to a different location in the body
• Aortic or duodenal puncture
• Tilting of the filter, making it less effective or not effective at all

Plaintiffs in these lawsuits often allege that the manufacturers failed to warn of the potential serious complications, that the products were designed defectively, that the manufacturers were negligent, that state laws were violated and warrantees were breached, among other counts.

Filing Information for IVC Filter Complication Lawsuits

If you have experienced complications resulting from the placement of an IVC filter, you may be eligible to receive legal compensation for your injuries.

An experienced IVC filter attorney can review your case at no charge and can help you decide if filing an IVC filter lawsuit is right for you.

The Bard IVC Filter Complication Lawsuits are consolidated in In Re: Bard IVC Filter Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2641, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.

The Cook Medical IVC Filter Complication Lawsuits are consolidated in In Re: Cook Medical INc. IVC Filters Marketing, Sales, Practices and Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2570, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division.