Guidant Corporation Recalls Heart Defibrillators

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a nationwide recall notification regarding certain implantable heart defibrillators and cardiac resynchronization defibrillators manufactured by Guidant Corporation of Indianapolis.

According to the FDA report, the following models have been shown to develop a short circuit, without warning, that can result in failure to deliver a shock to the heart when needed.

PRIZM 2 DR, Model 1861, manufactured on or before April 16, 2002
CONTAK RENEWAL, Model H135, manufactured on or before August 26, 2004
CONTAK RENEWAL 2, Model H155, manufactured on or before August 26, 2004

In addition, the FDA announced that Guidant would also be recalling another group of heart defibrillators that have shown to have memory error problems. This group includes the models known as PRIZM AVT, VITALITY AVT, RENEWAL 3 AVT and RENEWAL 4 AVT.

Reports indicated that at least 45 failures have occurred leading to at least two deaths as recently as May 2005.

Guidant said patients implanted with those devices should continue to see their doctors at three-month intervals and any patient who recently received a defibrillator shock should consult with their physician.

“Patient safety is paramount and our highest priority,” Guidant CEO Ronald W. Dollens said in a statement. “Guidant takes seriously its responsibility to create the most reliable products and services, enhance patient outcome and limit adverse events to patients.” They also stated that they will continue to sell the original Prizm 2 DR heart defibrillator even though a potential flaw prompted a redesign.

In April 2005, Guidant shareholders had approved acquisition of Guidant by Johnson & Johnson. Reports indicate that merger will still happen sometime this year.

About the Author

If you or a loved one is currently using one of the recalled heart defibrillators, you may have a liability claim against Guidant Corporation. Please e-mail or call Jacoby & Meyers for an experienced defective product attorney at 1-888-JACOBY-1.

Understanding Your Rights When Injured

Finding yourself injured can be a troubling, lonely, and confusing experience. Advice will come from several different places and it can be completely overwhelming. It will seem that you have little time or emotional strength to deal with or make sense of your rights or what to do next. It is very important to understand your rights and what type of claim to file to insure that you are properly compensated for your injuries and that the process is as quick and as painless as possible.

There are 3 types of personal injury claims in which one may file; negligence, strict liability and intentional wrong. If someone injured you as a result of carelessness on their part then you may file your personal injury claim as a form of negligence on their part. If an injury is caused by the use of a defective product, then you may file a claim as strict liability. If you have an injury is a result of international behaviors of other individuals or institutions, you are able to file a personal injury lawsuit as well as criminal charges.

Once you have figured out which type of claim you need to file based on your personal injury, you will need to find a lawyer. It is pertinent that you find one that specializes in personal injury law. Most personal injury lawyers offer free initial consultation to discuss your case so talk to several lawyers before hiring one to handle your case.

Be advised, using a small claims court can be a viable option to using an attorney in certain personal injury cases. For minor injuries resulting in say, a car accident, it is best to deal directly with the insurance company as to avoid potentially expensive legal fees. For more serious cases, hiring a lawyer will let the insurance companies know that you are serious about the case at hand and can often help the process move along more thoroughly. No insurance company or defendant wants to deal with a lengthily lawsuit as they are paying the people on their side for their time as well. Remember, the absence of legal representation can put you in a fairly adverse position.

There are several important questions that need to be asked once you have found a personal injury lawyer including:

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Never feel apprehensive about asking questions of your lawyer. You are the one paying for him/her and he/she is there to work for you!

Ashley Green - Injury Attorney at
http://injury-attornies.info