Spouse Files Lawsuit Over GranuFlo Death

Spouse Files Lawsuit Over GranuFlo Death

By Christina Drury

A new plaintiff has filed a lawsuit against the makers of GranuFlo alleging that the dialysis product caused the death of her husband. Filed on December 17, 2012 in the U.S. District Court in Middle District of Pennsylvania, the lawsuit names Fresenius Medical Care as the defendant and alleges that the drug manufacturer exhibited carelessness, negligence and recklessness conduct by failing to properly warn users of the dialysis product. The plaintiff is seeking compensation for punitive and exemplary damages of more than $75,000.
Spouse Died After Dialysis Treatment

The plaintiff, Hope Schultz, claims that her husband, Michael, died on the same day he received the GranuFlo dialysis treatment. During treatment, her husband became ill and once the treatment was finished he went home. The GranuFlo lawsuit alleges that Schultz’s husband suffered from pain and weakness throughout the day and then died just a few hours later. Michael Schultz was 50 years old at the time of his death. Schultz’s lawsuit goes on to claim that her husband’s unexpected death was a direct result of receiving the GranuFlo dialysis treatment and the irregular levels of bicarbonate in his blood stream that occurred during treatment.

GranuFlo Linked to Serious Side Effects

The plaintiff’s lawyer quoted several studies in the GranuFlo lawsuit linking high levels of bicarbonate from the use of GranuFlo to a higher risk for sudden death in patients using the dialysis product. The unique way in which GranuFlo is manufactured and the associated high levels of bicarbonate have been a frequent concern among those in the medical community who have utilized the product. Even with the alleged confusion, the plaintiff’s lawsuit states that Fresenius was aware of the problems with their product but failed to properly warn the medical community of the serious side effects and dangers of GranuFlo.

Drug Manufacturing Giant Accused of Hiding Pertinent Knowledge

Schultz’s GranuFlo lawsuit alleges there had been 941 cases of cardiopulmonary arrest and death associated with the use of GranuFlo. This astonishingly high number is six times higher than patients using an alternative dialysis product. Although this information was known in January of 2010, Fresenius continued to market and sell their flawed product. There are also accusations that the drug company was well aware of the dangerous side effects of GranuFlo but hid their knowledge of it. The GranuFlo lawsuit further alleges that Fresenius warned their own network of clinics well before they made this knowledge publicly known. It wasn’t until the FDA received an anonymous tip about the dangers of GranuFlo that the rest of the medical community was warned about its risks.

Seek the Compensation You Deserve

If you or someone you know was treated with the GranuFlo dialysis product and suffered any serious or fatal injuries, you may be entitled to receive compensation. Visit our Kidney Dialysis Heart Attack, GranuFlo & NaturaLyte Recall Class Action Lawsuit Settlement Investigation page for legal advice on your lawsuit and what kind of compensation you may be eligible to receive. On our site you can submit your information to our compensation specialists who can advise you on how to move forward with your lawsuit.