Lawsuit Says Fresenius Sold Defective Dialysis Products

Louisiana plaintiff Al Williams has filed a product liability lawsuit against Fresenius Medical Care, alleging that Bertha Williams, to whom he is heir, died allegedly as a result of the drug maker’s defective dialysis products. The Fresenius dialysis products in question — GranuFlo and NaturaLyte — have been linked to at least 941 deaths, leading to a recall in 2012.

Bertha died after using Fresenius products, either GranuFlo or NaturaLyte, according to the lawsuit. These products are mixed to create dialysis fluid to be used in hemodialysis.

Hemodialysis is a process where machines are used to pick up the slack for failing kidneys. In this process, a patient’s blood is run through a series of tubes made out of special plastics, which allow waste products to leave the body. The tubes are bathed in a fluid with enough of a chemical gradient to draw waste out of the blood. GranuFlo and NaturaLyte are products designed to be used to create this fluid when mixed with water.

However, it has been alleged by hundreds of GranuFlo lawsuits that dialysis fluid made with these Fresenius products could dangerously alter blood chemistry. Allegedly, these products contained excessive amounts of bicarbonate. High levels of bicarbonate could influence blood chemistry, causing a condition called alkalosis or high blood pH. When the pH of blood is high enough, the various chemical reactions that govern the heart muscle can fail, leading to various heart problems.

A multidistrict ligation or MDL has already been formed against Fresenius. An MDL is a type of group lawsuit, where a large number of individual cases are combined into a single legal preceding. The existing GranuFlo MDL against Fresenius alleges that not only were GranuFlo and NaturaLyte dangerous, but that Fresenius actively concealed the risk. The plaintiffs have asserted that an internal Fresenius memo, dated to November 2011, reveals that Fresenius was aware of this issue long before they recalled these dialysis products.

The GranuFlo lawsuit is  Al J. Williams as Expected Personal Representative for the Estate of Bertha C. Williams, Decedent versus Fresenius Medical Care Incorporated, et al, Case No. 1:14-cv-10349-DPW

It was filed within the GranuFlo MDL In Re: Fresenius Granuflo/NaturaLyte Dialysate Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 1:13-MD-2428-DPW, filed in the United States District Court District of Massachusetts.

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If you or a loved one suffered a heart attack, cardiac arrest, stroke, metabolic alkalosis or other injury after undergoing kidney dialysis with GranuFlo and/or NaturaLyte, you’ve almost certainly been through a trying ordeal. The types of complications allegedly associated with these products are medical emergencies, and require critical emergency care. In addition to the substantial emotional toll of such a situation, this kind of medical crisis goes along with substantial financial challenges, like medical bills, lost wages, and final expenses. When facing such a situation, many people feel overwhelmed, or even depressed.

But you need to remember that regardless of the challenges you are facing, you still have rights, and there are steps that you can take to regain a measure of control over your situation, You can start by visiting the Kidney Dialysis Heart Attack Issues GranuFlo Lawsuit & NaturaLyte Recall Class Action Lawsuit Settlement Investigation where you can enter information about your situation for a legal review by a trained expert with a background in this type of litigation. The initial consultation is completely free of charge, and from it, you can receive additional guidance on the best steps to take in your exact situation.