St. Jude Riata Lawyers

If you or a loved one have been injured after being implanted with a St. Jude Riata lead wire to a cardiac defibrillator, you may be eligible for compensation. For a free legal consultation, please fill out the form to the right or contact us directly at 1-800-305-6000.

The St. Jude Riata lawyers at Arentz Law Group, P.C. are currently reviewing a number of claims where innocent patients suffered severe injury or death as a result of these defective medical devices.  St. Jude Riata or Riata ST leads are small wires connecting a pacemaker or implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) to the heart.  These wires have a potential to become exposed inside the body, which can cause serious injury or death.  If you or someone you love has suffered as  a result of a defective St. Jude Riata or Riata ST lead, you may be entitled to collect substantial compensation in a defective products lawsuit.  Contact the St. Jude Riata lawyers at our firm today to schedule your free case evaluation.

St. Jude Riata Problems

St. Jude Riata leads are tiny wires that link to a cardiac defibrillator, and are inserted through a vein and linked to the inside of the heart to monitor and correct irregular heart rhythms.  Faulty manufacturing has caused the leads to become prone to abrasion, allowing the wire to escape the insulation in a failure known as externalization.  When these exposed wires come into contact with fluids and other materials inside the body, they can short and incorrectly transmit information to the defibrillator, resulting in:

• Unnecessary shocks
• Failure to deliver a shock when needed
• Surgery to replace or remove the faulty devices

As a result of these design defects and numerous reports of patient injury or death, the FDA issued a St. Jude Riata recall in December 2011.  Unfortunately, more than 277,000 of these devices had already been put into use across the world, endangering the lives of thousands of patients.  While some patients have had these wires removed and replaced, this is a risky procedure and more nearly 80,000 Americans still have active St. Jude Riata leads in their hearts.

St. Jude Riata Lawsuits

The St. Jude Riata lawyers at our firm are highly experienced in product liability litigation, and we have significant evidence of negligence on the part of St. Jude Medical.  We can base a St. Jude Riata lawsuit on a number of claims, including:

• The insulation diameters of the leads are inconsistent, which can lead to thin insulation at some points, increasing the risk of externalization
• The lubricous interface between the inner and outer insulation was inconsistently applied.  This could increase friction and facilitate abrasion
• During manufacture, St. Jude did not cure and sterilize parts, which could compromise the strength of the insulation
• The leads were not crimped uniformly, leading to insecure crimps

These St. Jude manufacturing defects can lead to exposed wires and can cause serious, life-threatening injuries.

Contact Our St. Jude Riata Lawyers

St. Jude Medical displayed gross negligence in the faulty manufacturing of their ICD leads, and thus the company is obligated to remit compensation to victims injured by their defective medical devices.  If you or a person you love has suffered injury or death after implantation with defective St. Jude Medical leads, you may be able to collect compensation for your physical, emotional, and financial damages in a dangerous products lawsuit.  To learn more about your rights and how we can protect them, contact the St. Jude Riata lawyers at Arentz Law Group, P.C. today to schedule your free consultation.