Were you injured after receiving the Bard PowerPort device implant? You're not alone. Lawsuits are mounting against Bard — and you might have one too. Contact Constant Legal Group for more.
The Bard PowerPort product has been marketed since 2000 as a solution for those who require repeated access to the vascular system for their medical care. The port system can be used for medication infusions, administration of IV fluids, the withdrawal of blood samples, and more.
Now, an ongoing Bard PowerPort lawsuit suggests that a faulty design may have contributed to catheter defects that led to many patient injuries. The catheter lawsuit includes claims of increased risk of infection, injuries, insufficient delivery of medication, and more.
If you had a Bard PowerPort implanted and suffered an injury, you could be entitled to compensation. Constant Legal Group partner Ryan Cavanaugh was recently appointed to the leadership committee for the Bard PowerPort litigation taking place in the District of Arizona.
Get more details about this ongoing lawsuit, what complications to watch out for, and how our firm can help you below.
A Bard PowerPort is a trademarked implanted port that provides central venous access to healthcare providers. This implantable port can be used as a way to deliver life-saving medications, like anticancer therapy drugs or high-calorie infusion solutions.
It’s made up of two main parts: an injection port and a polyurethane catheter.
The Bard PowerPort can only be accessed with a special needle. This non-coring needle, dubbed the Huber Needle, delivers medication to the patient. This innovative device differs from traditional ports because Bard’s PowerPort can tolerate higher injection pressure: PowerPorts allow for faster injections.
Bard Medical Group, the brains behind this device, is a division of Becton, Dickinson, and Company. Becton Dickinson manufactures Bard catheters.
Our attorneys at Constant Legal Group are backed by 18+ years of experience and education. Not only are we qualified to take on your case, but we care deeply about making sure you feel in the know and confident about your situation.
Claimants allege Bard PowerPorts have multiple problems and noticeable defects, including issues with the structural integrity of the port and problems with the implantable aspect of the port. Both of these have led to severe injuries in some patients.
One of the most common Bard PowerPort complications stems from issues with the structural integrity of the Bard PowerPort Injection Port. The flimsy tubing has proven to be ineffective at handling the fast flow of the injected medication.
The pressure, which should have been accounted for in the designing process, has caused the device to fracture in some cases. Even when the device hasn’t fractured, the weak and fraying tubing can lead to a build-up of bacteria as the integrity of the device degrades over time.
The tubing is a type of Chronoflex, a mix of polyurethane and barium sulfate; this material often cracks and splits. As the device weakens, some of the plastic pieces can break off of the Bard ports.
In rare cases, these pieces can enter the bloodstream and cause internal damage to blood vessels and organs. If this occurs the heart can be at risk too.
The implantable port itself has also led to certain medical problems including blood clots, bleeding, and cardiac punctures. In several of the most serious cases, patients have experienced a pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, pregnancy complications, and more.
If you’ve developed any of these medical conditions after using a Bard PowerPort, the device might have caused or contributed to those injuries.
Some of the conditions mentioned above are life-threatening and even fatal in certain situations. Now, we’ll expand a bit on each of these conditions below.
Here are some other conditions associated with the investigations into Bard PowerPort complications:
In a wrongful death situation, the surviving loved ones can still pursue compensation from the responsible party.
Serious and life-threatening complications are, thankfully, the exception and not the rule when it comes to Bard’s PowerPort problems. Still, it’s imperative that you seek out timely medical care if you experience any of the following symptoms and you have a Bard PowerPort:
Your doctor can help determine if the source of your ailments in the Bard PowerPort. If so, your doctor can also help you come up with a treatment plan moving forward.
Yes, on October 19, 2019, the FDA officially initiated a recall on three types of Bard Powerport catheter devices, including:
The FDA recall explains that the affected products should no longer be used or distributed. However, other Bard PowerPorts might be under scrutiny next and users should keep an eye out for potential complications.
Bard is getting sued for their PowerPorts because they’ve been accused of negligence when it comes to responding to reports of adverse health effects from their devices.
According to claims presented in the lawsuit, Bard allegedly knew, or at the very least should’ve reasonably known, that the devices had safety problems at the same time that they were reassuring the public that the devices were safe.
Evidence to support these claims can be found using data from the Adverse Event Reporting System and the FDA’s Alternative Summary Reporting Program. Between 1997 and June 2019, there were several complaints made about catheter port devices under the reporting program. 65% of these complaints were reportedly not available to the public, but Bard had access to this information.
Not every individual who suffers an injury or even an adverse effect necessarily qualifies to participate in the Bard PowerPort lawsuit.
In order to potentially qualify to file a lawsuit for compensation, the following elements must be met:
You may also qualify to pursue a claim if your loved one suffered a fatal injury and had the Bard PowerPort device. Surviving loved ones may be able to pursue compensation in the form of medical bills, burial costs, loss of financial support, loss of consortium, pain and suffering, and more.
If you’re still unsure if your injuries qualify for a claim, consult with a lawyer who can help you determine your options.
We are too early in the litigation to estimate what the average Bard PowerPort settlement will look like. However, here have been similar settlements that you can use to estimate what future awards look like.
For instance, a recent Bard hernia mesh claim, the C.R. Bard Inc. lawsuit, resulted in a settlement of over $184 million. Each claimant received about $70,000 each. In both 2016 and 2018, there were individual hernia mess lawsuits that resulted in settlements of $3.6 million and $18.5 million.
Award claimants hope to see the payout reflect the extent of the losses they’ve endured as a result of the PowerPort-induced injury. If the case is successful, compensation awarded should include losses in the form of medical bills, future medical expenses, lost wages, a loss of quality of life, and more. In general, your compensation award won’t exceed the extent of your losses.
As of September of 2023, 50 Bard lawsuits have been consolidated in the District of Arizona.
Constant Legal Group is uniquely positioned to assist patients injured by Bard PowerPorts because our team has been actively involved in this case since the beginning. Recently in September, Ryan Cavanaugh, a founding partner of our firm, was appointed to a plaintiff's leadership position for the case. The judge overseeing the Bard PowerPort case, Judge Campbell, is also on the IVC filters product liability case.
Here are a few other recent updates to the case:
If you’ve experienced a PowerPort injury, then you’ve already had your trust broken in a major way. After all, you trusted the PowerPort manufacturer to create a safe product.
Here at Constant Legal Group, we understand what you’re going through. We have extensive product liability experience and previous case results that demonstrate our ability to successfully secure justice. You can also check out testimonials from our previous clients to see what they’re saying about our services.
Our five-star reviews reflect the quality and level of service that we want to provide to everyone who comes to us for help. You can rely on us and trust our firm to have your back every step of the way.
Are you still unsure about whether the Bard PowerPort lawsuit might be something that you should join? Do you have more questions about the facts of the case?
Get answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the Bard PowerPort catheter lawsuit below:
Our attorneys at Constant Legal Group are backed by 18+ years of experience and education. Not only are we qualified to take on your case, but we care deeply about making sure you feel in the know and confident about your situation.
It can be overwhelming when you or a loved one is suffering from a personal injury incident. When working with our dedicated attorneys, we will take the pressure off of your shoulders and into our own hands. Together we will fight to restore control over your life.
