Free Case Evaluation

Medtronic’s recall of its Sprint Fidelis defibrillator leads in October 2007 affected approximately 235,000 patients. Those patients recently got more bad news. A recent Deutsche Bank analyst has reported that the Fidelis could also have poor sensing capabilities which may cause the defibrillator to deliver inappropriate shocks to the heart – something that many patients have already experienced.

The October 2007 recall

Medtronic recalled their Sprint Fidelis defibrillator lead in October of 2007. The recall of the leads (model numbers 6930, 6931, 6948 and 6949) was one of the largest medical recalls in history. In many cases, the lead, which is a small wire that connects the defibrillator to the heart, has either caused the defibrillator not to shock the heart when needed or to unnecessarily shock the heart when not needed – and in some cases, unnecessarily shock it many times – making the patient feel as though they are having a heart attack or stroke. Although the recall happened in October, Medtronic may have known about the problem months before. Since then, many patients and stockholders have sued the company for withholding information.

Has Medtronic simply moved on?

While some industry experts say that the Sprint Fidelis recall has already hurt Medtronic’s bottom line. Others say that while that may be the case – the recall hasn’t really hurt the company. Medtronic reported income of $3.2 billion dollars in the second quarter of 2007 alone. In addition, the company recently introduced a new heart product and acquired another company – leaving many to believe that it has simply moved on. That’s disturbing news to many patients who have only been offered $800 by the company for additional expenses not covered by their insurer to have their leads replaced.

Not so fast…

Regardless of what industry experts say, recently filed lawsuits against the company – along with the newest Deutsche Bank report – show that Medtronic may be facing an uphill battle in the years to come.

Class action law suits have been filed against the company in Minnesota, Puerto Rico, Texas and other states. Some are shareholder suits and others are patient suits for damages they may have already suffered, for potential damages or for continued medical monitoring – the most recent being a West Virginia class action suit that seeks $5 million for each patient.

If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of this product, contact an attorney whose practice focuses in this area to review your situation. To contact an attorney near you, click here.