On Tuesday, December 11th, 3 men filed federal lawsuits against the medical product manufacturer, Medtronic. They claimed that the company used a combination of bribery and deceptive business practices to implant defective defibrillators into thousands of patients in the United States. Together these men are seeking a class action lawsuit.
Medtronic was in hot water several years back for a recalled lead wire in many of their defibrillators and approximately 268,000 of these leads were implanted worldwide. When these leads are faulty, they deliver painful electrical shocks to the patient when the heart does not require them. This is not only painful, but also life-threatening as it does cause the battery to wear out prematurely. There were several reports of death and major complications after Medtronic introduced their Sprint Fidelis defibrillator leads in 2004. In 2007, the Sprint Fidelis lead problem was so severe that it resulted in the FDA announcing a nationwide Medtronic recall for this lead. This recall was considered a class 1 recall since it had the likelihood of leading to serious injury or death.
In October 2010, Medtronic agreed to pay $268 million to thousands of injured patients who had formed a class action lawsuit after the 2007 recall of Sprint Fidelis. When Medtronic vice-president found out about the newest lawsuits, he was quoted as saying:
“The claims being asserted were previously resolved in the course of the Sprint Fidelis litigation and Medtronic maintains they are without merit”. —-Christopher Garland, Medtronic Vice President
If the courts grant them class action status, we could see a new rash of Medtronic lawsuits cropping up across the country for faulty defibrillator leads. Medtronic is currently embroiled in another scandal for their Infuse bone graft.
National Medtronic Lawsuit Attorneys
If you or someone you love has suffered a major complication because of a Medtronic medical device, it is important to know that you are not alone. To learn more about filing a Medtronic lawsuit call the experienced Medtronic lawsuit lawyers at Phillips Law Firm today. Call us at 1-800-708-6000. Our national class action lawsuit attorneys are waiting to assist you 24/7, offering a free case evaluation.