Medtronic infusion pumps administer pain medication to patients. The pumps may be dangerous in some cases and have been fatal for some patients. If you suffered complications and damages as a result of such a device or if you have lost a loved one due to a pump defect, review your grounds for a case and get help filing legal action.
What is a Medtronic infusion pump?
These pumps administer pain drugs to a person’s body, via prescription only. Drugs that had been approved for administration with the pump include Infumorp, Liorsel, Prialt, Floxuridine, Methotrexate and Gabloflen. The pump is designed to be used only with approved drugs and cannot be used with compound drugs or unapproved concentrates.
Dangers of a Medtronic Infusion Pump
Medtronic has recalled various infusion pumps over the past several years. In July 2011, it recalled certain SynchroMed II Implantable Infusion Pumps because of potentially reduced battery performance. In November 2012, it recalled certain SynchroMed II and SynchroMed EL infusion pumps because use of unapproved drugs with the pumps may affect performance.
In June 2013, a Medtronic spokeswoman announced that there were 14 patient deaths tied to the SynchroMed System since 1996. These deaths were related to four problems, and the devices again were subject to recalls.
- One patient died because of a short circuit in the pump.
- Two patients died because of a catheter blockage.
- Eleven patients died because medication was injected into their subcutaneous tissue instead of the pump reservoir.
- The priming bolus also may cause harm.
In addition to deaths, the pump was been tied to drug overdoses or not enough drug disbursement. A drug overdose does not always lead to death; sometimes, other long-term consequences can occur, such as brain damage. The liver and kidney are two organ systems that are at risk of long-term damage as a result of a drug overdose.
If you believe your health problems are related to defects with the pumps, Medtronic infusion pump lawyers can help investigate your complications and hold the liable party responsible.
Who’s liable for injuries or wrongful death?
If a Medtronic pump injured you or if you lost a loved one due to a Medtronic pump defect, Medtronic may be liable for any resultant damages. Product liability law requires that all product manufacturers distribute products that are safe for consumer use. If patients sustain injuries that they wouldn’t have sustained otherwise but for the defective product, then they may file a product liability suit against the manufacturer.
If Medtronic is liable for injuries or death, you can recover compensation for damages. Types of compensation that may be recoverable include medical expenses and future medical expenses, lost wages and future lost wages, funeral expenses, pain and suffering, and other noneconomic damages. To prove liability and that Medtronic acted negligently in manufacturing and distributing a defective product, seek help from Medtronic infusion pump attorneys.
Take Legal Action Today – Consult Our Firm
If you’ve been the victim of a defective Medtronic infusion pump, get assistance from a legal professional. Not only can an attorney explain to you the details of product liability law and how to prove negligence, but he or she also can help gather medical documents and bills and guide you through the process of filing a defective medical device claim.
To get started recovering damages for your injury or loss today, call Gacovino, Lake & Associates P.C. at 800-550-000 or use our contact page to set up a consultation.
