Lawsuit Alleges Fresenius Dialysis Products Caused Death

By TopClassActions | October 8, 2013

Category: Pharmaceuticals

By Robert J. Boumis

GranuFlo/NaturaLyte Lawsuit Calvin Boswell of Georgia has sued Fresenius Medical Care on behalf of the deceased Virgie Lou Boswell. The wrongful death lawsuit alleges that Fresenius’s dialysis products GranuFlo and NaturaLyte triggered a series of effects that caused Virgie Boswell’s death.

Virgie Boswell received dialysis treatment from 2008 to 2011. Unfortunately, Virgie suffered from a medical condition called metabolic alkalosis allegedly caused by the products, which caused her to experience cardiac arrest and death in May 2011.

In dialysis, a patient’s blood is run through dialysis tubing. Dialysis tubing is made of a semi-permeable membrane — a material that will not leak blood, but will allow waste products through it. To draw out the waste products, the tubing is bathed in dialysis fluid, which has a lower concentration gradient, or less dissolved material, than blood. Due to diffusion, waste products flow across the semi-permeable membrane, fulfilling the function of the kidneys, leaving the blood purified. GranuFlo and NaturaLyte are products that are manufactured by Fresenius to create dialysis fluids.

The GranuFlo lawsuit sites evidence that GranuFlo and NaturaLyte could create conditions that promoted metabolic alkalosis. In metabolic alkalosis, the blood’s pH rises too high. Since many chemical reactions in the human body depend on a consistent pH, this can contribute to a number of significant health problems, including cardiac arrest. The GranuFlo/NaturaLyte lawsuit further asserts that a leaked internal memo proves that not only did Fresenius know about the risk posed by its dialysis products, but the company actively concealed it, risking the lives of patients like Virgie Boswell.

The GranuFlo/NaturaLyte lawsuit is Calvin Boswell Sr., et al. v. Fresenius Medical Care Holdings d/b/a Fresenius Medical Care North America, et al., Case No. 1:13-cv-12206-DPW, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. It has been added to ongoing multidistrict litigation (MDL) called In Re: Fresenius GranuFlo/NaturaLyte Dialysate Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2428, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

Was Your Loved One Injured by GranuFlo/NaturaLyte?

If you or someone you care about underwent dialysis with Fresenius products like GranuFlo or NaturaLyte, your life may have been seriously disrupted by complications. The types of heart problems that can stem from alkalosis require emergency medical care, and usually require lengthy hospital stays. This situation can rack up hospital bills and lost wages. In some cases, the burden of the situation falls to family members, who must face the challenge of adapting to life without one of their loved ones.

In addition to the emotion toll of such a situation, family members need to deal with the financial strain such situations entail, including loss of potential income and final expenses. But you need to remember that regardless of the situation you’ve found yourself 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, GranuFlo & NaturaLyte Recall Class Action Lawsuit Settlement Investigation for a free review of your situation by a legal expert with a background in this type of litigation. From here, you can receive additional guidance on the best steps to take in your exact situation.

All medical device, dangerous drug and medical class action and lawsuit news updates are listed in the Drug and Medical Device section of Top Class Actions.

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