Lawsuit Alleges WaveWriter Alpha Spinal Cord Stimulator Problems Caused Burning, Shocking Sensations

According to the Boston Scientific spinal cord stimulator lawsuit, improper welds can lead to moisture entering the system, causing painful electrical shocks and the need for removal surgery.

An Arkansas man has filed a product liability lawsuit against Boston Scientific Corporation, claiming that his WaveWriter Alpha spinal cord stimulator (SCS) system failed, causing him to suffer painful shocks, burns and other problems, which ultimately resulted in the need for the pain management device to be surgically removed.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Richard G. Pike in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts on June 16, indicating that his WaveWriter Alpha spinal cord stimulator was defectively designed and manufactured, causing it to fail months after implantation.

Spinal cord stimulators are medical implants designed to treat chronic pain by blocking pain signals to the brain. They consist of electrodes, placed under the skin near the spine, a battery-powered pulse generator also placed under the skin, and a remote control for adjusting stimulation levels.

Although these devices are designed to be permanent implants, a growing number of consumers report experiencing serious problems with spinal cord stimulators, often resulting in the need for complete removal of the implants. These issues have allegedly led to battery problems, electric shocks, increased chronic pain, unexpected shutdowns and loss of therapy.

In light of these concerns, a growing number of spinal cord stimulator lawsuits are now being filed in courts nationwide, each raising similar claims that manufacturers failed to adequately warn patients and physicians about the risks associated with devices.

Many complaints allege that some manufacturer sales representatives improperly crossed into medical decision-making by changing device settings, recommending continued reprogramming when patients reported worsening symptoms, and encouraging patients to overstate the success of a temporary trial so they could receive a permanent device.

WaveWriter Alpha Injury Allegations

In this new complaint, Pike indicates that he experienced chronic pain that did not resolve after undergoing cervical spine fusion surgery. As a result, he later underwent a procedure to have a WaveWriter Alpha spinal cord stimulator installed in July 2025.

However, the lawsuit indicates that the system contained manufacturing defects, including defective welds, which resulted in the WaveWriter stimulator failing after only six months. This failure caused Pike to suffer several complications, including severe burning and sharp electric shocks, as well as dizziness and fainting without warning.

Pike also found that the chronic pain had returned and worsened, especially during device malfunctions and resets.

These problems were allegedly due to manufacturing defects that included defective welds, which failed to meet design specifications and allowed moisture to enter the system.

“Boston Scientific agents also supervised, maintained, and directed the System and the treatment of Plaintiff’s pain and health more generally during and after the System’s implantation into Plaintiff, assuming the duty to do so with a reasonable degree of care. However, Boston Scientific and its sales representatives and other agents failed to comply with this duty.”

– Richard Pike v. Boston Scientific Corporation et al.

Pike presents claims of manufacturing defect, failure to warn, strict liability for manufacturing defect, strict liability for failure to warn, breach of warranty, negligence, negligent misrepresentation and violation of the Massachusetts Business Practices for Consumer Protection Act. He seeks both punitive and compensatory damages.

Spinal Cord Stimulator Lawsuits

Given common questions of fact and law raised in complaints filed throughout the federal court system, all Boston Scientific spinal cord stimulator lawsuits are now centralized in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California before U.S. District Judge Josephine L. Staton for coordinated discovery and pretrial proceedings.

While a number of Abbott Laboratories spinal cord stimulator lawsuits have also been filed, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation ruled earlier this month that they will continue to move on separately through the court system for the time being.

Spinal cord stimulator lawyers are currently pursuing cases for those who have suffered injuries after being implanted with one of the devices, which can result in:

To find out whether you or a loved one may qualify for a spinal cord stimulator lawsuit, submit information to receive a free case review by a lawyer. All claims are handled on a contingency fee basis, which means there are no fees or expenses unless a recovery is obtained.

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