Cook Medical IVC Filter Lawsuit

Individuals are still filing IVC lawsuit cases against Cook Medical Incorporated, citing injury and wrongful death. Claims against other divisions include Cook Medical, Cook Group Incorporated and Cook Medical, LLC. Plaintiffs claim that implanted IVC filters broke apart inside their bodies and caused pieces to travel through their bloodstream, leading to serious injuries.

As of April 2024, 7,683 cases against Cook were pending and a total of 11,358 cases were filed. Cook IVC filter lawsuits are still ongoing, with another bellwether trial set to occur at the end of 2023. The company has not offered a group settlement, although it may still do so.

In 2014, lawsuits against Cook Medical were compiled into an MDL assigned to the Southern District of Indiana and U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young and Magistrate Judge Tim A. Baker. The company won the first bellwether trial in 2017.

The manufacturer lost the next two cases, and juries awarded both plaintiffs amounts in excess of $1 million. Cook appealed one of the cases but settled that case out of court for an undisclosed amount. In the other case, the judge awarded $3 million to the plaintiff but later ordered a new trial.

Some inferior vena cava filters have broken apart, causing fragments to travel through the bloodstream. IVC filter fragments can puncture a major blood vessel and cause internal bleeding or travel to an organ like the heart and cause damage.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration updated its information about IVC filters in 2014, citing reports of problems associated with the devices. Many of the reports address complications plaintiffs outline in lawsuits against Cook Medical. The FDA notes research indicates dangerous complications are more often associated with IVC filters that are left in for long periods of time.

These devices – placed into a large vein to stop blood clots from traveling to the lungs – are difficult to remove. This is particularly the case with IVC filters implanted for long periods. Research is limited on how to safely remove them after IVC filter complications occur and how to properly treat patients. Many plaintiffs claim emotional stress from filters remaining inside their bodies.

Were Cook IVC Filters Recalled?

Cook Medical recalled its Cook Celect Vena Cava filter set in 2019, stating that they needed to update the instructions for use on the label of the devices. The recall came years after a 2014 warning letter from the FDA stating that Cook’s manufacturing, packing, storing and installation practices didn’t conform with federal requirements. The warning also called out the company’s failure to follow up on insufficient bonding of catheter heads and other faulty device issues.

The FDA inspected Cook Medical’s facilities and practices in 2018 to ensure the company had complied with the 2014 warning letter. The FDA found that Cook Medical had adequately addressed all prior violations and indicated they would continue to follow up with Cook to monitor compliance.

You may be eligible to file Cook Medical IVC filter lawsuits if you’ve experienced injuries or complications from an implanted Cook IVC device. Plaintiffs who have filed cases against Cook listed embolization and thrombosis, filter migration, fracture and perforation among their injuries.

Consult an experienced VC filter lawyer. Your lawyer can help you gather necessary documentation and navigate the process.

Cook Medical hasn’t offered a settlement, and cases are going to trial. An experienced lawyer can advise you through a free consultation and discuss possible timelines.

Plaintiffs have brought individual cases against Cook Medical and the company has yet to offer a settlement in their IVC filter MDL. Three of the cases that have gone to trial have been awarded more than $1 million.

A settlement is a voluntary agreement between both parties in a legal dispute. A verdict is a decision that a jury or judge renders after a trial.

Monetary gains from lawsuits are difficult to predict. Once your lawyer has all the information they need from you about your experience with a Cook IVC filter, they can discuss your case in more detail.