IVC Filter Tilt Shift Injury
An IVC filter is implanted by a doctor and placed in a very particular manner so as to collect blood clots which may form in the leg, and prevent them from travelling to the lungs and causing a pulmonary embolism. If the device starts to tilt or migrate, it is moving out of the place where the surgeon deliberately put it. There is no mechanism for it to stay in that place because it is a free-floating device. Therefore, if it starts to shift or tilt, then it is not going to be in place to collect blood clots and it is not going to adequately do its job. In addition, it may lead to other injuries to a person’s body.
What is Tilt Shift
Tilt or shift means that the filter has shifted from the upright position where the surgeon originally placed it so it is not in place doing its intended job of collecting blood clots. These injuries are evidence that the IVC filter device is failing.
If the purpose to the IVC filter is to prevent blood clots which may have formed in the leg from travelling to the lungs, it is very deliberately placed to collect those blood clots. If it starts to tilt or shift out of that deliberate position, then it is not able to fulfill its intended purpose of collecting blood clots which may have formed. Therefore, that would be the danger.
Symptoms
In the worst-case scenario, the person may suffer pulmonary embolism from a filter that has tilt shifted. They may have a stroke, blood clots, or things like that. Those are some of the injuries which could occur if it shifted out of place and is not able to do its job preventing blood clots from getting to the lungs. Any blood clots that do form are free-flowing basically, and can be very dangerous.
Bringing a Claim
People who have suffered a tilt shift injury from their IVC filter, they can bring claims for their medical expenses in getting that injury treated. They can bring claims for any permanent injury they may have suffered. In some of this cases, if it tilts enough, it is too dangerous to remove so they cannot remove it. The person might have to then be on a blood thinner for the rest of their life and may be stuck with this tilted filter forever. Some examples of the types of damages that could be expected are missed time from work as a result of any injuries that they sustained, pain and suffering associated with a failed medical device, having additional medical treatments, and scarring associated with an additional surgery.
Medically Proving Tilt Shift
The most important first piece in bringing a claim is going to be medical records from the implant surgery and diagnostic tests such as X-rays. Let us say an X-ray was taken immediately after placement. It shows that the IVC filter was placed correctly by the surgeon. Then you go back complaining of pain or you have some other issues going on. They do another X-ray and you start to see the filter tilt or shift. That is compelling evidence that the device is tilting or shifting.
Benefit of Contacting an Attorney in Raleigh
It is important that someone who has suffered a tilt shift injury from their IVC filter contact an attorney as soon as possible. As soon as someone thinks to themselves, “I have a retrievable IVC device,” they should speak to an attorney. Even if they have not suffered an injury yet, the failure rate for these temporary filters as long as they are left in is so incredibly high, that unfortunately it is important you get in to see your doctor, you are diligent about getting it checked, and you make sure it is in place and doing its job. That is why it is important to speak with an IVC filter lawyer immediately.
