Surgical Robot Makers Oppose MDL

The maker of the da Vinci surgical robot is seeking to block a bid to have the various product liability lawsuits filed against it consolidated into a multidistrict litigation to be heard by a federal judge in Mississippi.

The MDL request was made on behalf of four plaintiffs who claim they were injured during surgeries using Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci surgical robot. The request asks that the cases be consolidated under Judge Carlton Wayne Reeves in the U.S. District Court for Southern Mississippi, according to Mass Device.

However, the medical device manufacturer argued that consolidation of the lawsuits was “unwarranted” since they possess overlapping elements and are close enough in location to make coordination between the cases easy, according to Mass Device. It also claims that having only four complaints to consolidate would have an “especially heavy burden” in showing that combining the lawsuits is needed.

The four product liability lawsuits claim that Intuitive’s da Vinci surgical robot caused serious injuries as well as the death of a patient. The plaintiffs claim that the company failed to provide patients with adequate information on the risks of the medical device and doctors with appropriate training and support.

If you or a loved one has been injured by an unsafe medical device, contact Sokolove Law for a free legal consultation and to find out if a product liability lawsuit will be able to represent your case. For legal help, call (800) 581-6358.

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