Tennessee Lawsuits for ST. Jude Riata Lead Recall

The recent recall of the St. Jude Riata Lead will have a distract impact on thousands of Tennesseans and heart patients across the country. If someone you care about has experienced problems or even died as the result of a defect in a St. Jude Riata lead, then you need to talk to a Tennessee defective devices and personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. They will look over your claim and make sure you receive the compensation you need for what you have been through.

Beginning in December 2011, a St. Jude Riata lead recall was announced because of issues with the padding on the leads or wires that link the defibrillator with the heart. The wires have been shown to become uncovered when they are inside a body and this can cause shocks to the person, the failing of the device to provide a shock when needed and more surgery to fix the device. The padding was revealed to lead to injuries at a rate of 0.47 percent in more than nine years of use.

St. Jude Riata leads consist of wires that connect to a defibrillator. They are run through a main vein and then connected to the inside of the heart. The electrodes inside the wires keep track of the heart’s rhythm and fix any abnormal beating. Some of the issues associated with the St. Jude Riata leads include but are not limited to:

• Improper insulation measurements which can cause rubbing at places were the padding may be thin
• The device has improper lubrication between the inside and outside padding which may cause rubbing and injuries to occur.
• The device was improperly cleaned and treated during production which may make its padding weaker
• Improper creasing in the length of the device

These issues with the devices may cause the wires to become uncovered while inside the body which means they may make contact with fluids and materials that will cause the device to malfunction resulting in shocks to the person or failing to receive shocks that are needed to save the person’s life.

The leads were marketed in 2002 and 227,000 people have received the implants since that time. There are an estimated 79,000 leads still implanted in patients across the country due to an evaluated risk of removal.

When companies like this one know about problems with their medical devices or products but do not properly warn medical professionals and patients of the risks involved, this can unfortunately lead to life-threatening injuries or even death, especially for elderly people who need these kinds of devices. If you or someone you take care of has been injured or died after having a St. Jude Riata lead implanted, then we strongly encourage you to talk to one of our compassionate and experienced Tennessee injury and defective device attorneys at the Higgins Firm. We will answer any questions you may have and fight for you to get the compensation you may be eligible for.

Contact us online or call us at 800.705.2121 to set up a FREE consultation to discuss your legal options