Medtronic Inc., the Minneapolis Minnesota based medical device maker, announced a $114 million settlement for lawsuits brought against the company for its Marquis line of defibrillators.

The lawsuits

Medtronic’s Marquis line of defibrillators, devices that monitor the heart’s rhythm and provide electrical shocks when that rhythm becomes abnormal, were the subject of a February 2005 announcement by the company that patients could experience a potential battery shortage. It is estimated that approximately 20,000 patients had their Marquis defibrillators surgically removed and replaced.

Settlement terms

According to a Medtronic press release, the company has agreed to settle 2,682 lawsuits against it for $95.6 million plus another $18.5 million in attorneys’ fees. The settlement cases are those arising from the February 2005 Marquis device field action, including cases currently filed in the MDL (multi-district litigation) or in state courts and claims that could have been filed.

Medtronic has stated that all settling plaintiffs must satisfy any insurance claims and subrogation interests of Medicare or Medicaid from their settlement payments and specified that the company will not pay any additional sums for these cases.

No admission of wrongdoing

Medtronic views this settlement simply as a ‘compromise of disputed claims’. The company has not admitted any wrongdoing or liability. According to Pat Mackin, Senior Vice President and President, Medtronic Cardiac Rhythm Disease Management:

We are pleased to settle these cases and put the matter behind us. We prefer to focus our resources on areas that are beneficial to physicians and patients, rather than prolong this litigation. We know the Marquis line of defibrillators continues to provide life-saving therapy for thousands of people around the world, and they remain among the most reliable ICDs (implanted cardiac defibrillators) ever manufactured by Medtronic.

About Medtronic

Medtronic makes medical and surgical devices that diagnose, manage and treat diseases of the heart, brain, spine and ear, digestive system and urinary tract. The company’s headquarters are located in Minneapolis, MN; however, it operates in 120 countries worldwide.

Medtronic has been the subject of several lawsuits, the most recent being their October 2007 recall of the Sprint Fidelis lead wires (model numbers 6930, 6931, 6948 AND 6949) that affect approximately 235,000 patients worldwide. Some of the leads may fracture and cause patients to be shocked unnecessarily or not shocked when needed. Since the October recall, the company has been sued by patients and investors alleging that Medtronic knew about these issues well in advance of the recall date.

If you or a loved one has been injured or died as a result of a Medtronic product, contact a qualified attorney whose practice focuses in this area of law. For a free, no obligation consultation, please click here.