Widow Blames GranuFlo and NaturaLyte for Husband’s Death

Widow Blames GranuFlo and NaturaLyte for Husband’s Death

By Robert J. Boumis

Alice Cowart of Mississippi has sued Fresenius Medical Care on behalf of herself and her late husband, Eliot Cowart, alleging that Fresenius’s dialysis products caused her late husband’s death. 

Eliot Cowart underwent dialysis with Fresenius dialysis, which included either GranuFlo or NaturaLyte to help purify his blood. These products were ingredients used in dialysis solutions, a chemical bath used to remove extra waste products from blood with a dialysis machine. Various sources have implicated these particular dialysis products in triggering a condition called alkalosis, wherein the blood’s pH is raised to dangerous levels. This condition can trigger health problems, including sudden cardiac death and other heart problems. Eliot Cowart suffered from acute cardiac failure in September 2010, after undergoing dialysis with Fresenius products. 

The GranuFlo/NaturaLyte lawsuit cites a 2011 internal Fresenius memo that allegedly indicates that at least as far back as 2010, the company was aware of the risks associated with their products. The lawsuit asserts that Fresenius not only failed to act on this information, but actively concealed it as long as they could, up until the 2012 recall of these products by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The memo cited in the GranuFlo/NaturaLyte lawsuit warned that these products had been associated with a risk of alkalosis. However, the memo was only released to Fresenius-owned dialysis centers, though the company also sold their dialysis products to unaffiliated dialysis centers. The lawsuit holds that these actions have made Fresenius liable for injuries like those suffered by Eliot Cowart and other dialysis patients who experienced alleged complications from GranuFlo and NaturaLyte. 

The GranuFlo/NaturaLyte lawsuit is Alice Cowart, Individually and on behalf of the wrongful death beneficiaries of Elliot Cowart and on the Behalf of the Estate of Elliot Cowart v. Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Inc., et al., Case No. 2:13-cv-00209-KS-MTP, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, Hattiesburg Division. 

If you or someone you care about suffered from serious heart problems after using GranuFlo or NaturaLyte, you may have found yourself facing a challenging situation. The types of heart problems allegedly linked the Fresenius dialysis products are medical emergencies. When faced with such a crisis, patients and their families find themselves facing strain, stress, and financial challenges like hospital bills and lost wages. And unfortunately, many people die from heart issues. Survivors find themselves facing not only the emotional burden of their lost love one, but also the financial strain of final expenses, unpaid medical bills and lost income potential.

It is important to remember that regardless of the challenges you have 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. Here, you can enter information about your situation for a review by a legal expert with a background in this type of litigation. The initial consultation is completely free of charge, and from here, you can receive additional guidance on the best steps to take in your exact situation.