IVC Filter Complications: What Plaintiffs Must Prove
Inferior vena cava (IVC) filters were designed to save lives by preventing blood clots from traveling to the lungs. However, in recent years, thousands of patients have reported complications ranging from filter migration to perforated veins, fractured devices, and even wrongful death. As a result, IVC filter litigation has become one of the most significant mass torts in recent medical-legal history.
For attorneys, success in these cases depends on proving causation, device failure, and damages through careful documentation and medical analysis. At Lexcura Summit Medical-Legal Consulting, our team of 200+ board-certified clinicians provides the expertise needed to build strong cases from complex medical records.
Common IVC Filter Complications
Attorneys handling IVC filter claims often encounter these complications:
Device migration – the filter moves from its original placement, sometimes reaching the heart or lungs.
Fractured filter struts – broken pieces may travel through the bloodstream, causing organ or vessel damage.
Perforation of the IVC – the device punctures the vena cava wall, leading to pain, bleeding, or organ injury.
Failure to retrieve temporary filters – when left in too long, retrievable filters can embed in tissue, complicating removal.
Blood clots despite filter placement – showing the device failed to perform its intended purpose.
Each of these complications may form the basis of a negligence, product liability, or wrongful death claim.
What Plaintiffs Must Prove
In IVC filter lawsuits, attorneys generally need to establish:
Duty of Care – The manufacturer and/or healthcare provider had a duty to ensure safe use of the device.
Defect or Negligence – The filter was defective, improperly manufactured, or inappropriately placed.
Causation – The patient’s injuries were directly caused by the defective device or negligent care.
Damages – Medical expenses, pain and suffering, long-term disability, or death resulting from complications.
Key evidence includes:
Implantation records and operative notes
Radiology and follow-up imaging showing migration, fracture, or perforation
Hospital and ER records documenting complications
Pharmaceutical and procedural timelines for anticoagulation therapy
Device manufacturer safety alerts or recalls
How Lexcura Summit Strengthens IVC Filter Cases
Our team helps attorneys litigating IVC filter claims by:
Medical Chronologies – Creating clear timelines of device implantation, complications, and treatment.
Narrative Summaries – Explaining the medical significance of radiology, surgical reports, and complications.
Expert Case Screening – Identifying whether device-related injury can be medically supported.
Life Care Plans – Outlining long-term treatment needs for injured patients.
Rebuttal and Defense Reports – Supporting both plaintiff and defense attorneys with clear medical insights.
We deliver all reports within 7 days (rush in 2–3) and maintain a fully HIPAA-compliant process.
Key Takeaways
IVC filters are linked to serious, preventable complications.
Plaintiffs must prove device failure, causation, and damages with medical evidence.
Lexcura Summit helps attorneys build stronger cases through chronologies, summaries, and expert reports.
Contact Lexcura Summit
If you’re litigating an IVC filter complication case, our experts can help strengthen your claim with litigation-ready medical consulting.
Lexcura Summit Medical-Legal Consulting, LLC
📞 (352) 703-0703
🌐 www.lexcura-summit.com
