Medical Device Malfunction and Product Liability
Medical devices are any kind of equipment that helps patients manage their symptoms of illness in an outpatient setting. For example, wheelchairs and mobility scooters are medical devices, and so are TENS units that physical therapists sometimes encourage patients to buy. Some medical devices, such as walkers, have a simple design, while others are sophisticated machines that, a few years ago, existed only in the imagination of engineers. These include wearable or implantable devices that deliver medication or electrical stimuli on an ongoing basis. When the devices function as they are designed to, they can be life-saving and help patients live healthier lives than they could do without them. As with any other consumer product, the makers of medical devices have a legal duty to ensure that their products do not harm consumers when the consumers use the products in the intended manner and for the intended purpose. Consumers harmed by defective medical devices have the right to file product liability lawsuits against the manufacturers; this is the same right afforded to people harmed by dangerous pharmaceutical drugs, vehicles, furniture, or any other product. If you got injured because of a manufacturer’s defect in a medical device, contact a Fort Lauderdale defective drugs lawyer.
Widower Sues After Wife Dies From Insulin Pump Malfunction
Insulin pumps, attached to the patient’s body, are an effective way of managing diabetes, because they continuously measure the patient’s blood sugar and deliver appropriate doses of insulin to keep it within a healthy range. One day in November 2017, a woman was driving home from work, taking her usual route on the BeachLine Expressway in Orlando. Unbeknownst to her, the insulin pump was delivering dangerously high doses of insulin, causing her blood sugar to fall below safe levels. She began to feel lightheaded and disoriented. She missed her usual exit from the highway, but got off the highway at a different exit and parked her car on a gravel road. She called her husband to tell him that she was feeling ill, but she could not explain where she was, and by the end of the conversation, her speech was incomprehensible.
After the phone call, the husband called 911. He began searching for his wife, as did several police officers. Eventually, they found the car on the gravel road, but she was not there. Her body was a short distance away; she had probably set out on foot to seek help.
The husband filed a product liability lawsuit against Medtronic, requesting more than $75,000 in damages. His was one of more than 100 lawsuits filed by patients and their families about defective insulin pumps. The company issued a safety recall for the insulin pumps in 2017, but the notice did not reach the deceased’s address until after she had died.
Set Up a Consultation Today
A personal injury lawyer can help you get justice after a preventable accident involving a medical device. Contact Boone & Davis in Fort Lauderdale, Florida or call 954-566-9919 to explore your potential recovery options today.
Source:
sun-sentinel.com/business/os-bz-medtronic-lawsuit-20191119-n5yotbyf3jhevhmpbbmxwmhjry-story.html
