Were you or a loved one injured by a defective Medtronic Defibrillator? We can help.
In February 2005 Medtronic Inc. announced that two implantable cardioverter defibrillators may have battery defects that can cause the devices to fail and result in serious injury or death. The defective Medtronic defibrillators include the Marquis VR/DR and Maximo VR/DR ICDs and the InSync I/II/III Marquis and InSync III Protect CRT-D lines. They were manufactured between April 2001 and December 2003.
This is not the first time Medtronic has had problems with their defibrillator products. On April 16, 2004 Medtronic recalled two heart defibrillators because they have been linked to at least four deaths and one injury. The devices were recalled because they also failed to charge properly. This recall involved the Medtronic Micro Jewel II Model 7223Cx and the Medtronic GEM DR Model 7271 implanted cardioverter-defibrillators. Medtronic said that most of these devices were implanted in 1997 and 1998. About 1,800 are thought to be still in use.
These devices are known as cardioverter- defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-D) devices. They are used to shock the heart into normal rhythm after patients suffer irregular heartbeat or arrhythmias. The defibrillators are implanted surgically in the chest. When a cardiac arrhythmia occurs, the capacitor is charged and the device delivers the appropriate shock. The failure of these devices to shock when needed can result in serious cardiac injuries that can often cause death.
Parker & Waichman, LLP has successfully represented thousands of victims throughout the United States who were injured by defective drugs and medical devices. Our team of aggressive product liability attorneys will fight for your legal rights. If you or a loved one has been injured because of a defective defibrillator please contact Parker & Waichman, LLP to have a product liability attorney evaluate your case for free.