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Editor: Marc Jay Bern
Profession: Defective Medical Device Lawyer

Category: Medtronic Lawsuit News

A U.S. Supreme Court decision, Wednesday, ruled in favor of Medtronic. The ruling was not good news for patients who now have less available options when injured by defective medical devices.

The decision, 8 to 1, ruled if federal regulators approve a new medical device, patients who suffer injury by that device will not be able to sue medical manufacturers under state law.

The lawsuit was brought against Medtronic by New York resident Charles Riegel following the rupture of a Medtronic catheter in his coronary artery during heart surgery. He suffered severe injuries as a result.

After the 1996 incident, Riegel and his wife, Donna Riegel, sued the company, saying the device was designed, labeled and manufactured in violation of New York state law. Riegel died in 2004, but his wife continued the lawsuit.

The ruling was based on the Medical Device Amendments of 1976, which bars states from imposing requirements "different from, or in addition to" federal requirements.