Los Angeles Defective Medical Device Attorneys

How Our Los Angeles Defective Medical Device Lawyers Can Help You

At Shoop | A Professional Law Corporation, you will find aggressive representation to help you assert your rights after suffering due to a defective medical device. We investigate each case diligently, working with knowledgeable medical researchers to learn the newest and most precise information. Then, we provide trial-tested advocacy to help you hold negligent manufacturers and product designers responsible.

We have earned a reputation for fighting tenaciously for our clients. Manufacturers know of our many litigation successes, and this alone can convince them to settle rather than risk a bruising battle in court. Whether it's through tough negotiations or courtroom arguments, we are ready to do whatever it takes to guard clients’ interests and help them pursue full compensation.

When you contact us about a potential case, we typically begin by gathering key information about the device, including the brand, model, dates of implantation or use, and any warnings you received. We also review your medical history, operative reports, and follow‑up care to understand exactly how the device failed and what options your treating physicians have discussed. This careful intake process allows us to identify whether your circumstances fit into a broader pattern we are seeing with similar defective medical devices in Los Angeles and nationwide.

As your case moves forward, we coordinate with engineering and medical experts to analyze the device’s design, instructions, and performance. We may seek company documents through the litigation process to determine what the manufacturer knew and when they knew it. Throughout this time, we keep you informed about major developments and work with you to document the full scope of your losses, from additional surgeries and rehabilitation to lost income and the impact on your daily life, so your claim reflects the true cost of the defect.

Types of Defective Medical Devices We Handle

Device litigation is rarely one-size-fits-all—the FDA approval pathway, the failure mechanism, and the manufacturers involved all differ by device type. Below are the categories our Los Angeles defective medical device lawyers handle most often.

Implantable Medical Devices

Any device placed inside the body—from joint implants to cardiac devices to intrauterine devices—carries added risk because a defect isn't always visible or easy to diagnose from the outside. Failures often surface only through worsening pain, imaging, or a second surgery. We handle claims across the full range of implantable devices below, and investigate the specific product, lot number, and implant date in every case.

Hip & Knee Implants

Metal-on-metal hip implants and certain knee replacement systems have been linked to premature loosening, metal debris (metallosis), bone loss, and the need for painful revision surgery. If your hip or knee implant failed years earlier than expected, or your surgeon has recommended a revision, we investigate the specific make and model to determine whether it was subject to a recall or known failure pattern. Learn more on our hip and knee implant recall page.

Exactech Implants

Exactech recalled hundreds of thousands of hip, knee, and ankle implant components after discovering that defective packaging allowed oxygen to degrade the plastic liners, causing them to wear out early and, in some cases, fail entirely. Patients with Exactech Optetrak, Truliant, or Vantage components who have experienced pain, swelling, or reduced mobility should have their device checked against the recall list. Read more on our Exactech implant lawsuit page.

Cochlear Implants

Cochlear implants that fail can leave a patient without hearing and often require risky reimplantation surgery. Some cochlear implant models have been recalled due to internal component failure, moisture intrusion, or premature battery/electronics breakdown. If a cochlear implant stopped working, caused infection, or required unexpected replacement, we can review the device history and manufacturer's recall records. More detail is available on our cochlear implant recall page.

IUDs

Certain intrauterine devices have been linked to spontaneous breakage, migration outside the uterus, and organ perforation, sometimes requiring emergency surgery to remove fragments. Because an IUD is meant to stay in place for years, a defect can go unnoticed until a patient experiences severe pain, bleeding, or a failed pregnancy prevention. We review the device brand and any FDA adverse event reports tied to it.

Transvaginal Meshs

Transvaginal mesh used to treat pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence has been tied to erosion through vaginal tissue, chronic pain, infection, and painful intercourse, often requiring one or more surgeries to remove. Many mesh products have been the subject of FDA safety communications and manufacturer recalls. We evaluate the specific mesh product implanted and the complications that followed.

IVC Filters

Inferior vena cava (IVC) filters are designed to catch blood clots before they reach the lungs, but many retrievable filters have fractured, migrated, or perforated the vein wall. Fragments that travel to the heart or lungs can cause life-threatening complications. We investigate whether the filter was left in longer than recommended and whether the manufacturer adequately warned physicians about retrieval timelines.

Hernia Meshs

Surgical mesh used to repair hernias has been associated with mesh migration, bowel perforation, chronic pain, and infection requiring removal surgery. Certain mesh products have been pulled from the market after adverse event reports. We review operative notes and the specific mesh product used to determine whether a design or manufacturing defect contributed to the complication.

Insulin Pump & Infusion Pumps

Insulin pumps and other infusion pumps that deliver an incorrect dose—too much or too little—can cause severe hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, or other dangerous complications. Software glitches, faulty occlusion alarms, and battery defects have all triggered past recalls. We look at pump logs, error codes, and manufacturer recall notices to build these cases.

Shoulder Pain Pumps

Shoulder pain pumps (intra-articular pain pumps) deliver local anesthetic directly into the joint after surgery, but continuous infusion into the joint space has been linked to chondrolysis — the destruction of joint cartilage — in some patients, particularly younger, active patients who received the pumps after arthroscopic shoulder surgery. Cartilage loss from chondrolysis is often permanent and can require joint replacement. We investigate whether the pump manufacturer adequately warned surgeons about this risk.

Pacemakers & Defibrillators

A pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) that misfires, fails to pace properly, or loses battery power unexpectedly can be fatal. Because these devices are implanted and difficult to monitor in real time, manufacturer defects often surface only after a patient is hospitalized or dies. We work with cardiac specialists to determine whether a device malfunction—rather than the patient's underlying condition—caused the harm.

Surgical Stapler & Surgical Tools

Surgical staplers that misfire, jam, or fail to form a proper staple line during surgery can cause internal bleeding, leaks, and life-threatening complications. The FDA has received thousands of adverse event reports tied to stapler malfunctions. If a complication arose during or after a stapled procedure, we can request the device lot number and operative records to determine whether the tool itself was defective.

CPAP Machines

Millions of CPAP and BiPAP machines were recalled after the manufacturer's sound-abatement foam was found to degrade over time, allowing users to inhale or ingest black particles and chemical off-gassing linked to respiratory illness, organ damage, and certain cancers. If you or a loved one used an affected CPAP, BiPAP, or ventilator device and later developed a serious health condition, we can help determine whether your machine is part of the recall and what claims may be available.

Ventilator & Sedation Systems

Ventilators and sedation delivery systems keep critically ill patients breathing and comfortable, so a malfunction — a failed alarm, inaccurate dosing, or a mechanical breakdown — can be catastrophic within minutes. We work with critical care and anesthesiology experts to determine whether equipment failure, rather than the patient's underlying condition, caused a hypoxic injury or death.

Power Morcellators

Power morcellators are used during minimally invasive procedures like hysterectomies and fibroid removal to break up tissue for extraction. The FDA has warned that morcellation can spread undetected cancerous tissue throughout the abdomen and pelvis, worsening a patient's prognosis. If a morcellation procedure was followed by an unexpected cancer diagnosis or upstaging, we can review whether adequate warnings and screening protocols were followed.

Ozurdex & Intravitreal Implants

Intravitreal implants like Ozurdex deliver medication directly into the eye to treat conditions such as macular edema and uveitis, but device migration, improper placement, or manufacturing flaws have been linked to increased eye pressure, corneal damage, and in some cases permanent vision loss. Because these implants sit in a small, delicate space, even a minor defect can have an outsized effect on a patient's sight. We work with ophthalmology experts to determine whether the implant itself, rather than the underlying eye condition, caused the injury.

Don't see your specific device listed? Medical device litigation covers far more than these categories—contact our office in Los Angeles to discuss your situation.