Grossman & Moore Filed Lawsuit Against Medtronic For Faulty Defibrillator
Posted by
Jennifer MooreNovember 28, 2007 9:49 PMToday, Grossman & Moore filed a personal injury lawsuit on behalf of a Kentucky resident against Medtronic, Inc. for faulty defibrillator lead wire that caused devastating electrical shocks. The lawsuit, filed in Minnesota state court where Medtronic is based, seeks damages for the physical pain and medical expenses Ms. Orange has incurred, as well as compensation for Ms. Orange's future medical care and expenses due to the defective Medtronic device. Grossman & Moore filed the suit along with the firm of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP. Recently, on October 15, 2007, due to reports of adverse events and at least five patient deaths with defibrillator leads sold under the brand name Sprint Fidelis, Medtronic issued a recall of the product.
On August 12, 2007, the Sprint Fidelis lead, the wiring that connected her defibrillator to her heart, failed, causing three devastating electrical shocks. Our client, Kimberly Orange from Bowling Green, was transported by ambulance from Bowling Green to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, suffering two additional shocks the same day. The failure of the Sprint Fidelis lead forced Ms. Orange to undergo complicated surgery on August 15, 2007, to remove the faulty device and implant a new lead system. The early explant and implant of a new lead system, as well as a new defibrillator, scarred her already fragile heart.
"I felt like I was being repeatedly shot or kicked in the chest by a horse," Ms. Orange stated. "The pain was intense and has the power to knock you down or out of a chair."
Ms. Orange's life has been substantially affected by the incident. Ms. Orange's physician instructed her to take off work. "You fear that you have a ticking time bomb inside your body that could unexpectedly explode or be triggered by a quick movement or vibration," Ms. Orange explained. "Exertion such as bending over to make a bed, mowing the lawn and other everyday tasks have become frightening experiences."
If you would like to learn more about the Medtronic recall and your legal rights, please contact the attorneys at Grossman & Moore.
Patients that have had to undergo surgery to replace a faulty lead or have been advised by a physician that their lead may be defective are also welcome to call counsel at 502-657-7100.
For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Medical Devices and Implants.
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