Boston Scientific’s latest $30 million settlement brings to $972 million the total amount the company has paid to resolve lawsuits and federal investigations related to its sale of defective heart defibrillators, according to a recent Bloomberg article.
The settlement resolved a federal whistleblower claim in which the company’s Guidant unit was accused of knowingly selling the defective heart devices. Plaintiff James Allen, along with the U.S. Justice Department that later joined the action, claimed that Guidant knew as far back as 2002 that its line of Prizm defibrillators was defective, and that the company hid information from patients, doctors, and government agencies.
The devices are alleged to have caused at least 13 deaths and threatened the lives of others in whom they were implanted. Boston Scientific previously paid $296 million four years ago to resolve a government investigation into the Guidant devices, and in 2011 Guidant officials pled guilty to criminal charges.
If you or someone you care about received a Guidant heart defibrillator, you may be at great risk. Contact the attorneys at Sommers Schwartz today to discuss your situation and learn how we can help.
Robert B. Sickels
For more than 30 years, Robert Sickels has successfully represented plaintiffs involved in complex personal injury, medical negligence, and products liability matters.
