St. Jude Medical Inc., the manufacturer of the defective Durata defibrillator lead wires, is now being targeted by investors who claim the company downplayed and buried concerns from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over the defective product’s manufacturing process. At least three separate lawsuits have been filed against St. Jude in the U.S. District Court, and several law firms are soliciting clients for further class-action litigation.
A St. Jude spokeswoman provided a standard company response, stating: “We believe the lawsuits are without merit, and we will vigorously defend against the allegations.”
Lead wires are designed to connect a defibrillator to the heart. The Durata lead product was a replacement for an earlier product, called the Riata, that also had issues with reliability and was subject to a recall in 2011 due to problems with the wires breaking through insulation. According to a recent study performed by St. Jude’s rival, Medtronic, the Durata lead wires’ insulation could start to break down after six years.
If you or your loved ones had a Durata defibrillator lead placed, please contact The Cochran Firm today to schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced defective medical device attorney.
