Cold Therapy Lawsuit Filed Over Tissue Damage from DeRoyal T600
A product liability lawsuit has been filed by a Texas woman who says she suffered tissue damage due to a cold therapy therapy machine, the DeRoyal T600, which is designed to treat pain and swelling after surgery or a traumatic injury.
The cold therapy lawsuit was filed on April 6 by Victoria Lynn Williams in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The complaint names DeRoyal Industries Inc. as the defendant, alleging that the plaintiff suffered severe tissue damage to her foot after using the DeRoyal T600 Hot and Cold Therapy System for an injury.
Williams claims she was prescribed the DeRoyal T600 after suffering an injury to her left foot in 2009. However, she alleges that the cold therapy process for the DeRoyal T600 was too cold and lasted too long, leading to permanent damage.
The lawsuit claims that the DeRoyal T600 cold therapy machine is a defective device and can cause tissue death, skin and nerve damage. The plaintiff alleges that the manufacturer failed to warn patients and doctors of the risks, seeking compensatory and punitive damages.
Cold therapy machines like the DeRoyal T600 treat pain and swelling by exposing the injured areas to hours of heat and cold. According to DeRoyal, the maximum temperature is 90 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit and the coolest temperatures are from 45 to 60 degrees. The company says that the device is designed with temperature controls that reduce the risk of frostbite and medical damage.
The claim is one of a growing number of lawsuits over cold therapy, or cryotherapy, that have been filed in courts throughout the United States, particularly involving problems with consumer-operated machines designed for home use.
Cold therapy is supposed to work in a number of ways. Cold therapy restricts bloodflow to the injured area, slows down nerve impulses that tell you that you are in pain and also works as distraction pain, pulling the mind’s focus away from the injury to the sensation of cold. However, there have been a number of reports of cold therapy problems associated with the devices, including frostbite, skin damage, nerve damage, and a risk of limb amputation.