C.R. Bard Prevails In The Fourth IVC Filter Bellwether Trial

C.R. Bard Prevails In The Fourth IVC Filter Bellwether Trial

Introduction

The fourth bellwether trial involving design defects claims brought by a couple over of the inferior vena cava filter (IVC filter) concluded with the Arizona federal jury ruling in favor of Becton Dickinson & Company’s subsidiary C.R. Bard.

The woman underwent treatment for deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in 2011 when she was implanted with C.R. Bard’s G2X Blood vessel filter. The device was reported to be a failure, and she got it surgically removed in 2014 after suffering severe internal injuries due to the device breakage. Her case went to trial last month when the federal jury dismissed her claim that there was a possibility of a heart arrhythmia condition in the future. The case became the third bellwether trial as its predecessor case was dismissed over the late filing of the claims.

The first bellwether trial against Bard concluded with the jury awarding plaintiff Sherr-Una Booker $ 3.6 million in damages, while the second bellwether ended in a defense verdict. The manufacturer faces more than 3,800 lawsuits related to design flaws in the blood clot filters. Similar cases are consolidated as a part of a multidistrict litigation (MDL No. 2641; In Re: Bard IVC Filters Products Liability Litigation) for coordinated pretrial proceedings, overlooked by Judge David G. Campbell, in the United States District Court District of Arizona.