If you suspect the device contributed to complications, focus on three priorities right away:
-
Get follow-up care and request documentation Ask your provider for copies of operative reports, procedure notes, imaging reports, and discharge paperwork. If you’re treated at a different facility later (common with regional referrals), make sure records travel with you.
-
Write down the “what/when/where” while it’s fresh Include the approximate date of the procedure, the device type (if you have it), where you received care, and what changed afterward—pain, infection symptoms, abnormal readings, device migration, or other red flags.
-
Preserve device identifiers If you have a device card, packaging, implant information, consent forms, or post-procedure paperwork, keep it. Many defective device claims turn on matching the correct model, lot/batch, and timeline.
California has deadlines for filing claims. Missing them can limit your options—so it’s important to talk with counsel early rather than waiting until you feel “sure.”


