Spinal Cord Stimulator Lawsuits to Be Consolidated into MDL
In a major step for people who have filed spinal cord stimulator lawsuits, a multidistrict litigation (MDL) has been established for a group of cases claiming that certain products were defectively designed and led to serious injuries.
The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) made the decision on Friday, grouping multiple cases involving Boston Scientific-manufactured stimulators together in federal court in California.
An MDL is a key legal procedure typically used when many similar lawsuits are filed in multiple courts across the country. It places all of those cases before the same judge for coordinated legal proceedings. This can reduce duplicative efforts and deliver faster, more streamlined results for people who have filed lawsuits.
Boston Scientific had been against the creation of an MDL.
Other spinal cord stimulator lawsuits have also been filed involving devices made by Abbott and other manufacturers. Those cases, however, will not be included in the MDL. The JPML determined that grouping lawsuits together that involve different manufacturers could be counterproductive, given the differences among those cases.
Lawsuits involving Abbott are still proceeding individually.
Spinal Cord Stimulator Lawsuits Claim Design Defects Caused Serious Injuries
Spinal cord stimulators are implanted devices that use small electrical pulses to help patients manage pain. They’re often used for people who are dealing with chronic pain that hasn’t responded to other forms of treatment.
A growing number of lawsuits claim that some patients suffered severe and debilitating complications after their stimulators were implanted.
Injuries listed in lawsuits include nerve damage, paralysis, severe electrical burns and loss of bowel or bladder control.
Lawsuits argue that these complications arose from the defective design of the stimulators themselves. This includes claims of faulty software, fracture or migration of parts of the device and battery issues that caused unintended shocks.
The spinal cord stimulator litigation is relatively new, and there have been no major verdicts or settlements yet. New lawsuits may still be filed.