Spinal Cord Stimulator Lawsuit: 2026 Update, Eligibility & How To File

As of April 2026, people have filed spinal cord stimulator lawsuits against major manufacturers Abbott (formerly St. Jude Medical), Medtronic, Boston Scientific and Nevro. These cases are filed in various state courts across the country. So far, there hasn’t been a motion to consolidate these cases into multidistrict litigation (MDL) in a single federal court.

Currently, there aren’t any major verdicts or settlements against the manufacturers for failure to warn or manufacturing defects. However, a man received a $1.25 million settlement in 2024 in a spinal cord stimulator medical malpractice case after he lost control of his bowels and suffered partial paralysis.

Spinal cord stimulator lawyers are still accepting cases for injuries caused by lead migration, lead fracture and device infections.

People with spinal cord stimulators received these devices to manage chronic pain. However, some people filed lawsuits after experiencing complications such as worsening pain, nerve damage, loss of bowel or bladder control, severe electrical burns and paralysis.

According to lawsuits, companies manufactured defective spinal cord stimulator devices knowing they could cause serious injuries and failed to adequately warn patients and doctors. Lawsuits also claim manufacturers made design changes to their products after they were FDA-approved without disclosing the changes. In some cases, plaintiffs say sales representatives were routinely present at device programming sessions and adjusted devices without the supervision or input of licensed medical professionals.

Design Defect and Failure To Warn Claims

Lawsuits claim manufacturers didn’t adequately warn patients or doctors about design defects that affected the lead wires, generators and batteries.

According to lawsuits, manufacturers breached their duty to warn by failing to send “Dear Doctor” letters or include adequate risk notices on product labeling and instructions. They also did not properly train sales representatives and clinicians about device limitations.

Reported Injuries Driving Litigation

According to lawsuits, plaintiffs suffered several injuries because of device defects that range from new onset pain to permanent paralysis.

Many of these complications require surgery to remove or replace the device.

The four main manufacturers named in spinal cord stimulator lawsuits are Abbott (formerly St. Jude Medical), Medtronic, Boston Scientific and Nevro. As of April 2026, lawsuits against these four companies are progressing, and lawyers are still taking cases.

So far, there haven’t been any settlements or jury verdicts.

Abbott/St. Jude Medical Spinal Cord Stimulator Lawsuit

Abbott spinal cord stimulator lawsuits involve the Proclaim and Infinity SCS devices. Abbott acquired St. Jude Medical and its spinal cord systems in early 2017.

Lawsuits allege that Abbott didn’t warn that its devices provide only short-term pain relief. Additionally, plaintiffs claim that devices are frequently removed due to poor performance or injuries, and that the batteries lose power rapidly. In some cases, sales representatives made device and setting adjustments without the necessary medical training.

Medtronic Spinal Cord Stimulator Lawsuit

Medtronic spinal cord stimulator lawsuits involve the Intellis LT rechargeable neurostimulator and other current Medtronic SCS systems.

Lawsuits allege defects associated with Medtronic’s devices, including early hardware failure, lead migration, battery depletion and worsening pain. The FDA’s Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database shows complaints such as recurring high-frequency charging failures, unintentional shocks and lead migration. Medtronic didn’t adequately disclose these issues on labeling or training materials.

Boston Scientific Spinal Cord Stimulator Lawsuit

Boston Scientific spinal cord stimulator lawsuits involve the Precision, WaveWriter and related device systems.

According to lawsuits, device problems associated with Boston Scientific’s SCS systems include device migration, lead fractures requiring surgical revision, loss of pain relief, battery depletion and communication failures.

The company didn’t adequately disclose these risks. Furthermore, studies have shown that multiwaveform SCS platforms like the WaveWriter Alpha may cause unexpected autonomic side effects, such as incontinence.

Nevro Spinal Cord Stimulator Lawsuit

Nevro spinal cord stimulator lawsuits focus on the Nevro HF10 SCS systems, though other models may be mentioned.

Nevro lawsuits claim the device is prone to overstimulating the vagus nerve, which controls cardiac rhythm, bowel function and other body functions. This can lead to dysmotility, arrhythmias and incontinence, some of which can be permanent. Nevro failed to adequately warn patients and doctors of these issues.

Lawsuits against Nevro are in the early stages, and there haven’t been any settlements or jury verdicts. Lawyers are still accepting cases.

You may qualify for a spinal cord stimulator lawsuit if you received a spinal cord stimulator made by Abbott (formerly St. Jude Medical), Medtronic, Boston Scientific and Nevro and suffered injuries. Complications that can cause injuries or require device removal include lead migration, lead fracture, battery failure, infection or permanent nerve damage.

Qualifying Injury Types

Lead migration means the stimulator leads moved away from the original position in the epidural space. When this happens, a person can lose pain coverage, feel stimulation in the wrong area or develop painful jolts. Imaging studies or surgical reports usually confirm that the leads shifted.

Lead fracture happens when the thin wire breaks. A broken lead can cause loss of pain relief, erratic shocks or make device removal more complex. Doctors often see evidence of lead fracture on X-rays or during surgery.

Battery failure, malfunction and generator problems can cause devices to stop working earlier than expected, lose charge too fast or deliver electric shocks or erratic stimulation. A person might notice that the remote no longer controls the device or that the system shuts off without warning. Service records, device interrogations and surgical notes can help document these failures.

Infection counts as another qualifying injury. A person may develop a surgical site or device-related infection that affects the generator pocket, the lead path or deeper tissues. Signs include redness, warmth, drainage, fever or feeling very sick. Serious infections often require IV antibiotics, device removal or both.

Permanent nerve damage, paralysis or worsened pain after implant also supports a lawsuit. This injury category includes documented neurologic deficits, such as new weakness, numbness, increased pain after the procedure or loss of bladder or bowel control. Imaging, neurologic exams and specialist notes usually play a key role in proving this type of harm.

What You’ll Need To File

To file a spinal cord stimulator lawsuit, you’ll need to provide some documentation to your lawyer, such as details about your SCS device, injuries and treatment details.

The statute of limitations (time limit) to file your case varies by state. Make sure to speak to an attorney sooner rather than later to preserve your legal options and protect your right to file a case.

The first step you should take to file a spinal cord stimulator lawsuit is to contact an experienced medical device product liability lawyer. They can help walk you through all the steps of filing your case.

Every case is different, so the steps for your specific situation may vary. Be sure to talk to your lawyer about what to expect after filing a spinal cord stimulator lawsuit.

Spinal cord stimulator lawsuits are in the early stages, so there haven’t been any verdicts or settlements yet. However, industry experts estimate settlements could range from $250,000 to $600,000. These amounts are pure speculation, and your case isn’t guaranteed a particular settlement amount.

Spinal cord stimulator settlement ranges could vary widely. Some factors that could affect settlement value include injury severity (moderate pain vs. paralysis), permanent disability, economic damages (lost wages and medical costs) and other non-economic damages like loss of enjoyment of life. Spinal cord injuries are serious and could impact your daily life. The more seriously your life is impacted, the more value that could be assigned to your case.

Settlements can happen at any time, depending on the manufacturer. Your lawyer will negotiate on your behalf based on the evidence they have.