Lawsuit Claims Medtronic MiniMed Insulin Pump Malfunction Resulted in Diabetic Coma

Medtronic MiniMed insulin pump recalls have raised prior concerns about incorrect insulin delivery, device failures and cybersecurity risks, leading to a number of lawsuits in recent years.

A product liability lawsuit alleges a defective Medtronic MiniMed insulin pump suddenly stopped delivering insulin during normal use, causing a Florida woman to suffer severe injuries and fall into a diabetic coma.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Christine Hunter in Florida state court last month, naming Medtronic Inc. as the defendant. The case was removed to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on July 6.

Hunter indicates that she was using a Medtronic MiniMed 780G insulin pump, which is designed to continuously deliver insulin to people with diabetes. However, she alleges the pump catastrophically failed on June 12, 2022, abruptly stopping insulin delivery even though she had maintained the device properly and used it as intended.

Medtronic MiniMed Insulin Pump Failure

Medtronic MiniMed insulin pumps are intended to help people with diabetes manage their blood sugar by continuously delivering insulin throughout the day and providing additional doses as needed.

However, a malfunction that causes an insulin pump to deliver too much or too little medication can result in serious and potentially life-threatening complications. Excessive insulin may cause hypoglycemia, which can lead to confusion, seizures and death, while insufficient insulin can result in dangerously high blood sugar levels and potentially life-threatening diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).

MiniMed Injury Allegations

According to the lawsuit, Hunter’s MiniMed 780G insulin pump was covered by a four-year warranty and had been used normally and maintained in good working condition before the alleged malfunction.

However, Hunter claims the device suddenly stopped delivering insulin without warning, resulting in severe medical complications.

She maintains Medtronic negligently designed the insulin pump with defects that could cause it to fail during normal operation and used components that were insufficient to maintain the device’s intended function.

The lawsuit also claims the manufacturer failed to adequately warn users about the potential for MiniMed insulin pump failures and marketed the devices in a manner that misled consumers about their safety and expected useful life.

The complaint argues that Medtronic had a duty to ensure its insulin pumps were free of defects and did not pose an unreasonable risk of injury during normal and foreseeable use.

“As a direct and proximate result of the aforementioned acts and/or omissions of Defendant MEDTRONIC, Plaintiff CHRISTINE HUNTER suffered and suffers bodily injury and resulting pain and suffering, disability, emotional distress, mental anguish, loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life, inconvenience, hospitalization, medical and nursing care and treatment, and/or aggravation of previously existing condition.”

— Christine Hunter v. Medtronic Inc.

The lawsuit presents claims of negligence and strict liability, seeking compensatory damages and other relief.

Medtronic MiniMed Lawsuits

Several safety concerns have resulted in MiniMed insulin pump recalls in recent years, including issues linked to incorrect insulin delivery, device failures and cybersecurity risks. Those problems have led to a growing number of Medtronic MiniMed lawsuits filed by patients nationwide.

In many of the cases, patients have been warned they may receive insufficient amounts of insulin, potentially resulting in diabetic ketoacidosis. This condition occurs when the body does not have enough insulin to process glucose and begins breaking down fat for energy, causing dangerous levels of ketones to accumulate in the blood.

Symptoms of DKA may include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, confusion, rapid breathing and breath with a fruity odor. Without prompt medical treatment, the condition can result in severe dehydration, organ failure and death.

MiniMed insulin pumps have also faced a series of problems related to security. In September 2022, the FDA warned that certain MiniMed pumps contained cybersecurity vulnerabilities that could potentially allow someone in close proximity to gain unauthorized access to the pumps’ wireless communication systems.

Federal regulators indicated the risk could increase when affected insulin pumps communicated with other devices, including continuous glucose monitors, blood glucose meters and CareLink USB systems.

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