Have You Been Injured by a Defective Medical Device?

A character on a popular medical show suffered serious complications a defect in his hip replacement device. But this kind of problem does not just happen in Hollywood. In fact, medical devices cause approximately 200,000 injuries every year. So, what should you do if you or a loved one was injured by a defective medical device? That’s what we will cover in this article.

What type of medical devices are involved?

According to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), medical devices are:

Instruments, apparatus, implements, machines, implants, reagents, or similar items used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease that are “intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of man.”

A wide range of items are considered medical devices, from tongue depressors to hip replacements to programmable pacemakers. It’s unlikely that a bedpan or blood pressure cuff could seriously injure you. However, the same cannot be said for hyperbaric chambers, bypass pumps, knee replacements, and surgical mesh. Every year, lawsuits are filed when a defective medical device harms a patient.

What kind of injuries can a defective medical device cause?

Here, again, a wide range of potential injuries exists. The following is just a short list:

• Metal poisoning from leaking hip implants;
• Emergency situations and fatalities due to failed IVC blood clot filters;
• Burns and organ injuries from surgical robots;
• Organ perforation from transvaginal mesh;
• Heart failure and unconsciousness caused by defective pacemakers;
• Undertreatment or overtreatment due to defects in drug distribution systems; and
• Ruptured blood vessels, nerve damage, and tissue damage from exploding implants.

As mentioned above, many people suffer every year from malfunctioning devices. They don’t have to take it lying down.

What can I do if a defective medical device has injured me?

People who have suffered complications from defective medical devices can ask medical professionals for help. However, treatment and recovery can be costly at the very least. The worst-case scenario could be life-changing or even lead to fatalities.

Legally speaking, injured patients also have the option of filing claims against the manufacturers, distributors, or users of a defective medical device. Lawsuits could be based on medical malpractice or defective product claims. It’s best to speak with an experienced medical malpractice attorney before proceeding.

Defective Medical Device Injuries Could Lead to a Medical Malpractice Claim

Medical malpractice claims, including those for the situations covered in this article, are complicated. Often, many parties are involved in the chain of treatment. You may be entitled to financial compensation for injuries caused by medical professionals. Powell Law features James F. Mundy, Esq., as an attorney who has successfully litigated medical malpractice cases for several decades.

Since 1906, our practice has evolved litigating personal injury claims, including medical malpractice cases, and building a body of knowledge and expertise that unquestionably provides our clients with an incomparable advantage. Powell Law has an established 115-year-old reputation throughout northeastern Pennsylvania. Contact Powell Law at call (570) 961-0777. The consultation is FREE.