Can I Claim for Complications Caused by an IVC Filter Fracture?

What are Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) Filters?

Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) Filters are tiny medical devices that are implanted in a vein. They are usually used to prevent blood clots travelling from your legs or pelvis to the lungs. IVC Filters are often used in the treatment of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and Pulmonary Embolism (PE).

What can go wrong with Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) Filters?

It is possible that these filters can fracture and break away from their intended position in the body. If this happens, they may end up in your heart or lungs which can cause serious complications. They need to be checked regularly and if the device is left in your body for too long, it could also perforate the vein in which it is attached. If any of these things happen to you it could be regarded as Medical Negligence and you may be able to make a hospital negligence claim.

There have been cases where IVC filters fracture under pressure and trauma. Many people who have an IVC filter that has fractured have no initial symptoms meaning they are unable to take action to prevent more serious problems developing. If a fractured piece of an IVC Filter has migrated elsewhere in the body there are several things you need to look out for, including:

• Generalised back or abdominal pain
• Neck pain
• Chest pain
• Nausea
• Light-headedness
• Confusion and disorientation
• Low blood pressure, and
• An abnormality of the heart’s rhythm

Other medical complications regarding IVC Filters include:

• Defective Filter Deployment
• Filter Perforation
• Device Infection
• Retrieval Complications

If you’ve experienced any of these complications due to an IVC Filter Fracture, you could be eligible to claim compensation

A lot of these symptoms can affect your life and can even affect your earning abilities, as it’s difficult to work properly with some of these symptoms.

That’s why claiming compensation is important when medical negligence has affected your life in such a noticeable way, like affecting your earning potential and job.

These symptoms are difficult to live with, and can impact your quality of life. This can lead to you needing extra care and support with your life and health, which can be costly if this care is specialised. The generalised pain and more acute neck and chest pain could even cause you to be immobile for longer periods of time, and other issues like the low blood pressure can also affect your life negatively.

You might even need therapy or some other support to deal with the emotional side of things. This is because medical negligence can leave victims with a lot of trauma, anxiety and general mistrust of the system, which can all be emotionally straining and taxing. Sometimes, these issues mean people need mental health support, whether that’s in the form of support groups, therapy, or something else.

Can you make a medical negligence claim for Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) Filter complications?

Your doctor should always warn you about the potential risks and complications of any treatment. If you were not told about the dangers, and something goes wrong, this is grounds for a possible claim.

Get in Touch

If you believe a doctor or consultant hasn’t looked after you, or a loved one in the way you might expect, contact our expert team of Medical Negligence solicitors. We can conduct a free claims assessment to see if we can help you.

Another consideration is if you are unable to work due to your condition not being treated properly, we can help you with a compensation claim to reduce the financial burden so you can focus on recovery. If you need additional care, support, or changes to your living arrangements, because of what has happened to you, again this is something we can help you with as part of a legal claim. If the other party admits liability, we may be able to secure interim payments for you which could help while a final settlement is negotiated.

Our team of hospital negligence solicitors have years of experience helping people who have suffered as a result of problems which have occurred as a result of Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) Filters.

Get in touch with us and we will provide you with a free assessment and talk you through your options. These types of cases are usually run on a No Win, No Fee basis so there is no financial risk to you.