First C.R. Bard IVC Filter Bellwether Trial to Begin on March 14, 2018

Maine IVC Filter Claim

On March 14, 2018, the first federal bellwether trial involving a C.R. Bard Inferior Vena Cava (“IVC”) filter, Sherr-Una Booker v. C.R. Bard, Inc., et al., is scheduled to commence in Phoenix, Arizona.  The case is part of the multi-district litigation (“MDL”) established for C.R. Bard IVC filter cases in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona.   There are currently more than 3,500 lawsuits pending against C.R. Bard in the MDL.  As a bellwether trial, the outcome of the Booker case could provide insight into how other juries will decide similar IVC filter lawsuits filed against the company.

Ms. Sherr-Una Booker filed suit in February 2016 after allegedly suffering serious injuries from C.R. Bard’s G2 retrievable filter.  Ms. Booker’s injuries include filter tilting, fracture and perforation.  Evidence in the case will show that the G2 IVC filter has higher complication rates and substantially greater risks of failure than competitor brands and one of C.R. Bard’s prior models.

MDL Judge David Campbell has bifurcated or split the trial into two phases.  In the first phase, the jury will determine liability, compensatory damages, and whether the plaintiff is entitled to punitive damages.  In the second phase, if necessary, the jury will determine the amount of punitive damages, if any, to be awarded to the plaintiff.

IVC filters are implanted in the inferior vena cava and are designed to trap blood clots originating in the lower extremities from migrating to the lungs or heart.  The devices at issue are retrievable IVC filters that were not designed to be left permanently in the human body.

In 2010, the FDA received more than 900 reports of complications related to IVC filters.  In more than 300 of the cases, the filter had migrated from its implanted position.  Additionally, there were more than 140 reports of embolization, 70 reports of perforation and 50 reports of filter fracture.

If you or a loved one has been injured by an IVC filter, you may be entitled to significant compensation for your injuries.

To speak with an experienced Maine IVC filter attorney, contact Fitzgerald Law Group at (844) FITZ-LAW or (844) 348-9529, or complete the Case Evaluation Form on this website for a free, confidential, case assessment.