A new lawsuit has been filed against a prominent medical device manufacturer, alleging severe injuries caused by one of its products. On February 24, 2026, Sally Blommel lodged a complaint in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio against Cook Incorporated and its affiliates, accusing them of negligence and product liability related to their Celect Vena Cava Filter.
The case centers around an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter that was implanted in Blommel at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, on September 24, 2013. The plaintiff alleges that the device was defectively designed and manufactured, leading to severe health complications. According to the complaint, a CT scan conducted on October 11, 2024, revealed that the filter had fractured and perforated her vena cava wall. Subsequent attempts to retrieve the filter required complex surgical procedures due to its compromised state. Blommel’s legal team argues that Cook Incorporated was aware of these risks but failed to adequately warn patients or healthcare providers about potential dangers associated with long-term implantation of their IVC filters.
Blommel’s lawsuit claims that Cook Incorporated breached multiple legal duties by failing to conduct adequate pre-market testing and post-market surveillance of their product. The complaint highlights several allegations against the company, including negligence in design and manufacturing processes, failure to provide sufficient warnings about risks associated with their IVC filters, and misrepresentation of the product’s safety and efficacy. “Cook Defendants knew or should have known that using the Cook Celect filter in its intended use as a permanent IVC filter with the option to be retrieved created a significant risk,” states one part of the filing.
The plaintiff is seeking compensatory damages for physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, medical expenses incurred due to complications from the device, as well as punitive damages aimed at penalizing Cook Incorporated for what she describes as willful misconduct. Additionally, Blommel requests full recovery for all claims relevant to this action along with any other relief deemed just by the court.
Representing Sally Blommel is attorney William Hawal from Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP based in Cleveland, Ohio. The case has been assigned Civil Action No. 3:26-cv-00062-WHR-CHG under Judge Walter H. Rice with Magistrate Judge Caroline H. Gentry presiding over proceedings.
Source: 326cv00062_Blommel_v_Cook_Incorporated_Complaint_Southern_District_Ohio.pdf
