Defibrillator Lawsuits Increase

The number of lawsuits against Medtronic concerning allegedly defective defibrillators has increased significantly, according to this Bloomberg story in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer -- Medtronic Defibrillator Suits Double:

The number of heart patients suing Medtronic Inc. over faulty defibrillators more than doubled in the past two months, raising the company's risk of getting hit with damage awards.

Through Monday, about 1,670 patients had filed 943 suits in U.S. courts related to the 2005 recall of 87,000 implanted electronic devices that protect against sudden cardiac death, said Hunter Shkolnik, a trial lawyer helping to manage the cases. In December, the number was 417 lawsuits.

HME