Lawsuit indicates that an Illinois woman suffered devastating injuries when a Bard PowerPort catheter fractured, causing small pieces to make their way into her heart.
Separate from a federal court MDL established earlier this year, plaintiffs estimate there will be more than 500 Bard Power Port lawsuits filed in New Jersey state courts in coming weeks and months.
Doctors struggled to remove the fractured chemo port from plaintiff's jugular vein, after a Bard PowerPort fragment pierced one of the chambers of her heart.
The judge has asked Bard Port catheter attorneys and defendants to file a joint plan to select bellwether test cases for early trials over claims the PowerPorts are defective, leading to fractures and device failures.
Pieces of the fractured Bard Infuse-A-Port remain in the plaintiffs heart, which puts her at risk of severe injuries in the future.
Manufacturer received reports of Bard PowerPort infections for years before plaintiff received her port catheter implant, but warnings were never provided to doctors and patients about the risks
A group of nearly 40 attorneys have been proposed to serve in various leadership positions in the MDL, which will take actions that benefit all plaintiffs pursuing a Bard PowerPort lawsuit
Woman indicates that information about the risk of fractures and blood clots from Bard PowerPorts was known by the manufacturer for years before she received the port catheter for chemotherapy treatments
Plaintiff claims the manufacturers failed to disclose the known risk of infections, sepsis and failure of Bard PowerPorts, which often results in the need to replace the port catheter
Lawyers will meet with the court to discuss the organizational structure for a growing number of Bard port catheter lawsuits being pursued over fractures, blood clots, infections and other complications
