Medtronic Marquis Defibrillators
Recently, concerns have been raised over the possible failure of Medtronic Marquis defibrillators. In February 2005, Medtronic, Inc. announced that they manufactured implantable cardioverter defibrillators found to have defective batteries that may cause the implanted devices to stop working and have dire consequences.
Medtronic sent letters to patients who were implanted with the Marquis defibrillators to tell them that some of the heart devices have been found to fail randomly. They stated that nine patients among the 87,000 implanted with Marquis defibrillators around the world had defective devices. Although the manufacturer stated that failure of these devices was not a potential reason for serious injuries, this did not stop the concerns regarding the said defibrillator implantation from increasing.
Medtronic Marquis defibrillators are implanted into patients suffering from heart ailments such as tachycardia (heartbeat is too fast) or irregular heartbeat. The devices, commonly known as cardioverter-defibrillators, are meant to shock the ailing heart into a normal rhythm following implantation. When irregular heartbeats are experienced, the capacitor of the device is charged and the appropriate shock is delivered to the heart. Despite claims from Medtronic that failure of the device to function will not lead to serious injuries, it has been found that, should the device fail to shock the heart, it could result in cardiac injuries, some serious enough to cause death.
If you have a Medtronic Marquis defibrillator implanted into your chest, contact your doctor to see if your model is among those being recalled for having this potential problem. If you or a loved one is experiencing more serious heart injuries after being implanted with a Medtronic Marquis defibrillator, it is also best for you to contact a lawyer. An experienced product liability lawyer will help you determine if the heart injuries you or your loved one sustained are really because of the defibrillator inside your chest. He will guide you on the possible course of action to be taken if it is found that that the device was responsible for your injuries.
Should you have sufficient grounds to file a personal injury claim, your lawyer will help you in the process of filing the lawsuit against Medtronic. If you sustained serious injuries and have medical bills for the diagnosis of your ailments as well as for further treatment, this could be reimbursed through the compensation that you will receive if you win the lawsuit. Your continuing treatment will be covered by the compensation as well. Your lawyer will help you throughout the process, and will ensure that you will get the maximum compensation to cover not only the expenses that were incurred after you suffered injuries caused by the defective device, but also for other losses that you might have experienced as well, such as lost wages or pain and suffering.
There are many law firms with product liability lawyers who are knowledgeable about Medtronic defibrillators, including the Marquis defibrillators. They will be able to help you establish the liability of Medtronic's products when it comes to the injuries that you or your loved one sustained. You won't even have to worry about the cost of having a lawyer evaluate your case, because there are now many lawyers who offer this kind of service for free. There are even lawyers who will work on a contingency basis, which means that they will not charge you for their services until you receive the compensation that is due you. Usually these lawyers will get a percentage out of the total amount of your compensation as their fee.
Contact a lawyer as soon as possible; there are certain time limitations when it comes to filing claims concerning product liability. Most states adopt a statute of limitations that restrict filing of such cases two years after the injuries were sustained. Personal injury cases due to defective products should be filed within two years of the injuries.
