Medical devices can help improve a patient’s quality of life – when they work in the manner that they are designed. When they are defective, they can cause as much – or even more – harm to a patient as the patient’s current condition. Unfortunately, medical devices are not as scrutinized as they should be before entering the marketplace. Manufacturers can sell medical devices with little to no knowledge of the potential dangers that the device can cause patients. The negligence of manufacturers who create defective medical devices can lead to serious injuries for patients, and can even cause patients to lose their lives.
What are some common defective medical devices?
There are millions of medical devices used by patients in the United States. However, there are some medical devices that often contain defects. These medical devices include devices like insulin pumps, heart stents, hip replacement implants, hearing aids, pacemakers, and breast implants. A majority of these medical devices are used with serious conditions like diabetes, heart rate, cardiovascular diseases, and joint replacements.
How can these defective medical devices cause harm to patients?
When medical devices like insulin pumps and pacemakers contain defects, patients’ lives can be at serious risk the second they stop working properly. Patients’ conditions can worsen, and can even cause a patient’s death. Some of the serious harm that patients can experience from defective medical devices are heart attacks, infections, hearing loss, nerve damage, organ loss, and permanent disabilities.
Common injuries from implants
The injury that the patient experiences is based on the type of defective medical device causing the harm. Implants, for example, are medical device that frequently causes patients more harm when they are defective. Some of the injuries from defective implants are nerve damage and ruptured blood vessels. These injuries can happen when defective implants are in danger or explode within the patient’s body.
Who can be held liable for injuries from a defective medical device?
Manufacturers who produce defective medical devices are automatically responsible for the injuries that patients experience from their products. All manufacturers have a legal obligation to produce safe products for all consumers. In the event that a medical device is defective, manufacturers also have a legal obligation to warn consumers of the potential dangers associated with a product. Unfortunately, many medical manufacturers choose to avoid the negative press and intentionally decide not to issue recalls for their defective medical devices.
Can medical professionals be held liable for damages caused by a defective medical device?
In addition to medical manufacturers, medical professionals can also be held liable for damages caused by defective medical devices. If a medical professional recommends a defective medical device to a patient, that medical professional also bears responsibility for the patient’s injuries. Medical professionals can also be held liable for a patient’s injuries when the professional improperly installs a medical device into the patient’s body. A surgeon who improperly installs a knee replacement implant, for example, can be held liable for a patient’s injuries if the patient experiences swelling or loosening of the replacement implant.
Contact Kwartler Manus, LLC Today
A catastrophic injury will not only result in steep medical bills but often severely affects your ability to earn money in the future. At Kwartler Manus, LLC, we are compassionate to your needs as an injury victim. You should not be burdened with unreasonable costs as the result of someone else’s carelessness. Let us worry about recovering the funds you need, so you can focus on healing and recovery. We are personally invested in each of our client’s cases and are ready to fight aggressively against injustice to secure your rightful compensation. Call our Philadelphia personal injury lawyers at (267) 457-5570, or fill out our contact form to discuss your case today.