A Nevada resident recently filed an IVC filter lawsuit, alleging his Cook Gunther Tulip vena cava filter has caused serious complications due to defects. His IVC filter lawsuit is now part of an MDL, or multidistrict litigation, which combines a number of similar lawsuits together.

The plaintiff, Christopher H., was implanted with a Cook Gunther Tulip vena cava filter device on Oct. 9, 2009, the lawsuit alleges. However, some time after the device was implanted, Christopher began experiencing serious complications. For some patients who have been implanted with a device like the Cook Gunther Tulip vena cava filter, complications can involve filter migration and even substantial organ damage.

The Cook Gunther Tulip vena cava filter lawsuit was filed on multiple counts, including failure to warn, defective design, negligence, and breach of express and implied warranties, as well as violation of state law. The lawsuit was filed on Aug. 8, 2017 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.

The Cook Gunther Tulip Vena Cava Filter

An inferior vena cava filter, more simply known as an IVC filter, is a kind of medical device intended to prevent blood clots from entering a patient’s lungs and heart. IVC filters are a popular alternative to anticoagulant medications for treating blood clot conditions.

One of these filters is the Cook Gunther Tulip vena cava filter, made by medical device company Cook Medical.

However, a growing number of reports in recent years have suggested that these IVC filters like the Cook Gunther Tulip vena cava filter can cause serious injuries and complications. Many patients, like Christopher H., have responded by filing lawsuits against their device’s manufacturers.

According to these lawsuits, IVC filter devices are not worth the risk they pose to patients. Plaintiffs allege that the devices themselves may be more harmful than the blood clots they are intended to treat.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the federal agency has received hundreds of reports over the past decade that reports of patients suffering from punctured organs and filter migrations due to implantation with IVC filters.

Filing an IVC Filter Lawsuit

This Cook Gunther Tulip vena cava filter lawsuit and many others like it claim that Cook Medical was aware that its IVC filter device can lead to serious complications, but continued to market and sell it as safe and effective anyway, placing profit over patient safety.

The FDA has responded to the claims against the safety of IVC filters, recommending that devices like the Cook Gunther Tulip vena cava filter only be used on a temporary rather than permanent basis, and only if anticoagulant medications or other treatments are deemed ineffective.

Injured patients have filed lawsuits against a number of companies, including Cook Medical, citing organ damage due to filter migration and breaks, as well as other serious complications. If you or someone you love has suffered side effects after being implanted with a Cook Gunther Tulip vena cava filter, you may be able to file a lawsuit.

Filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by side effects of the Cook Gunther Tulip vena cava filter or other IVC devices, but it can help to alleviate the financial burden from medical expenses and lost wages.

The Cook Gunther Tulip Vena Cava Filter Lawsuit is Case No. 1:17-cv-02682-RLY-TAB, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division.