Bair Hugger warming blankets keep patients warm during and after surgery. The use of warm air helps patients’ circulation and can help speed up the healing process. Unfortunately, research has shown us that Bair Hugger warming blankets may stir up dangerous bacteria and contaminants from the floor of the operating room and deposit them into a patient’s surgical site.
Pathogens that spread in this manner can cause deep joint infections and start infections, the need for more surgery, and in severe cases, amputation. When a patient contracts an antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the patient may even die as a result of the infection.
3M Recalled 165,000 Bair Hugger Warming Defects
In January 2018, the company 3M recalled 165,000 Bair Hugger warming blankets due to a design defect. Some of the blankets involved in the recall failed to fully inflate after 3M redesigned the system’s underbody blanket. In the recall letter, 3M warned that the partial inflation of the blankets that could prevent them from properly warming patients.
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One report to the FDA claimed that a patient suffered from hypothermia during surgery. The patient used a Bair Hugger warming blanket. The device involved in this lawsuit was not one of the units involved in the 2018 recall. The patient involved in this lawsuit required treatment in an intensive care unit.
Bair Hugger Lawsuit Updates
Bair Hugger lawsuits have become more prevalent. In one case, a woman claimed that she developed a deep joint infection shortly after a knee replacement surgery that used a Bair Hugger warming device. She required multiple procedures to clean the infected area. Due to a large number of similar lawsuits that plaintiffs have filed against 3M, these lawsuits have become centralized in a Minnesota U.S. District Court.
Claims Involved in Bair Hugger Lawsuits
Hundreds of plaintiffs have been filed, claiming that Bair Hugger blankets cause serious injury. These lawsuits allege the following legal claims:
- The defective design of Bair Hugger warming blankets
- Bringing an unreasonably dangerous product to market
- Concealing the risks of using a Bair Hugger warming blanket
- Failing to test the blankets adequately before producing them
- Marketing Bair Hugger blankets aggressively, despite knowing the safety risks
- Misrepresenting the fact that Hair Hugger meets the filtration standards set up by HEPA
- Making intentionally misleading and false statements about the safety of the blankets
- Failing to discontinue, redesign, or warn doctors about dangers associated with Bair Hugger blankets.
- Negligence on the part of doctors and medical staff when using the blanket
- Causing plaintiff injuries based on the acts or omissions mentioned above
Injuries Potentially Caused By Bair Hugger Warming Blankets
Several different serious personal injuries can result from the use of Bair Hugger warming blankets, including the following:
- Sepsis
- Deep joint infections in the knee and the hip, including staph infections, MRSA, and other types of bacteria-resistant infections
- The need for more surgeries to implant a new knee replacement or to clean up the infection
- Limited mobility of the affected knee joint
- Amputation of an affected limb required due to an incurable infection of the joint
Are You Eligible for a Bair Hugger Lawsuit?
The best way to determine whether or not you are eligible for a Bair Hugger warming blanket lawsuit is to speak to an experienced lawyer as soon as possible. You will need to show that you have suffered an injury caused by a Blair Hugger blanket. You will also need to file a personal injury lawsuit before Alabama’s statute of limitations expires. The following are some of the requirements for filing a personal injury lawsuit:
- You underwent a joint replacement surgery or other surgery in which your doctors used a Bair Hugger warming system
- You developed a deep joint infection that was acquired in the hospital within 60 days of the surgery taking place
- You suffered losses as a result of your infection, such as a loss from a prolonged hospitalization, a prolonged or painful recover, additional surgeries, amputation of your affected limb, disability, or physical therapy
Contact Our Alabama Personal Injury Lawyers Today
If you or your loved one have suffered injuries due to the use of a Bair Hugger warming blanket, you could be entitled to damages. Contact the experienced Alabama personal injury lawyers at Heninger Garrison Davis today to learn whether or not you might have a valid personal injury claim. We have the skills and experience needed to advocate effectively for our clients.
