Leigh Day & Co, has successfully settled a number of claims against
ELA Medical in relation to a defect in certain
Symphony and
Rhapsody pacemakers. Gene Matthews, the solicitor at the firm who has led these claims, reviews the current state of play.
MHRA warning
The Government’s
Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued a device alert in November 2005 relating to
Symphony and
Rhapsody pacemakers, manufactured by
ELA Medical.
The MHRA reported that the pacemakers could malfunction due to a fault caused by a specific manufacturing process. This could lead to loss of telemetry and pacing output. Pacemaker-dependant patients who have been implanted with a device manufactured between 6 June 2003 and 31 July 2003 should be reviewed as soon as possible and may need to undergo further surgery to have their pacemaker replaced.
Pacemakers
Pacemakers generate small electrical impulses that trigger the heartbeat. They are fitted in people with heart disease or other heart problems. If a pacemaker stops working properly, it can cause a number of problems ranging from dizziness and shortness of breath to, more seriously, heart failure or death.
Leigh Day & Co
Leigh Day & Co is ranked first by the Legal 500 for expertise in product liability claims. We currently act for a number of people who have suffered as a result of being fitted with faulty heart devices, including the Guidant pacemaker and the St Jude Medical Silzone heart valve.
Gene Matthews said:
“The obvious importance of pacemakers performing in the correct manner cannot be overstated. My clients were concerned about the effect these defective pacemakers might have had on their long-term future. Thankfully, the company took a sensible approach in both replacing their defective pacemakers quickly and dealing with these claims speedily. I hope the compensation paid will allow my clients to move forward with their lives”.
If you have been affected by these, or other medical products and need expert legal advice, please contact
Gene Matthews at Leigh Day & Co on 0207 650 1200
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