The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued its most serious type of recall, a Class I recall, for two models of Medtronic MiniMed 600 Series insulin pumps.
One death and more than 2,000 injuries have been blamed on the faulty medical device.
The recall covers 322,005 MiniMed 600 Series insulin pumps distributed in the United States:
- Model 630G (Model No. – MMT-1715) – all lots distributed before October 2019
- Model 670G (Model No. – MMT-1780) – all lots distributed before August 2019.
The pump model number can be found on the bottom or on the back of the device.
The insulin pumps are being recalled because of reports of broken or missing retainer rings. The issue prevents the reservoir from being locked into the pump. If the reservoir is not properly locked into the pump, it could lead to over-or under-delivery of insulin, which could then result in hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia.
Severe hyperglycemia can result in a loss of consciousness, seizure, and death.
Medtronic has received 26,421 complaints about insulin pump malfunctioning. The firm is aware of one death and 2,175 injuries, the FDA says.
Damage to the pump retainer ring can occur as a result of dropping or bumping the insulin pump on hard surfaces, Medtronic says.
Medtronic advises diabetes patients affected by the MiniMed 600 Series insulin pump recall to:
- Examine the retainer ring of their pump.
- Stop using the pump and contact Medtronic for a replacement pump if the reservoir does not lock into the pump or if the retainer ring is loose, damaged, or missing. Contact your doctor before discontinuing use of the pump, and follow his or her recommendations, which may involve performing manual insulin injections.
- Continue using the pump if the reservoir locks into place correctly.
- If the pump is dropped by accident, check the pump and retainer ring for damage and stop using it if it is damaged.
- Check the pump retainer ring to verify that the reservoir is locked correctly at every set change.
If you have a damaged Medtronic insulin pump, you must complete and submit a form to request replacement of the defective device. Medtronic is only replacing recalled insulin pumps if the retainer ring on the pump is loose, damaged, or missing.
Anyone with questions about the insulin pump and/or the recall should call Medtronic at 1-800-646-4633.
Seek Advice from a San Antonio Product Liability Attorney
If you have been injured or have lost a loved one because of a Medtronic MiniMed 600 Series insulin pump malfunction, you should contact an experienced product liability lawyer as soon as possible. You may be entitled to seek compensation for harm caused by the defective insulin pump.
In San Antonio, the insulin pump recall attorneys at Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C. are ready to seek full compensation for you if an unsafe medical device has harmed you or your loved one.
A product liability claim about a faulty medical device may go forward if the injured party can show that:
- The product caused injury when used as intended because of its faulty design or a manufacturing error
- The manufacturer and/or distributer knew or should have known of the danger posed by the product
- The manufacturer and/or distributor failed to adequately warn the consumer of the risk of using the product.
There are potentially thousands of plaintiffs harmed by faulty Medtronic insulin pumps with product liability claims against the manufacturer.
When a large number of lawsuits are filed seeking compensation for injuries related to one product alleged to be defective, the courts may combine the claims in one of two ways:
- Multidistrict Litigation (MDL), which combines cases that have common legal issues for efficient handling during the pretrial phase of the case. The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation designates one federal court to oversee the pretrial phase of the case such as depositions and discovery. If the cases go to trial, each plaintiff proceeds with his or her individual lawsuit.
- Class Action, which combines lawsuits filed by multiple plaintiffs who have similar legal complaints against a defendant. The court that creates a class action lawsuit will choose one or more plaintiffs’ cases as representative of the class.
When hundreds or thousands of people are injured in the same way, such as by the same faulty medical device, these claims are known as a mass tort.
Mass torts are considered MDLs because these cases are filed nationally but the court system requires that they be consolidated before one judge for pretrial proceedings.
As the number of similar claims against a product increases, the manufacturer, distributor, and other liable parties typically begin to recognize the potential costs of litigation. While they fight the claims in the courts, they also set aside funds to pay an anticipated settlement.
The attorneys of Herrman & Herrman would seek the most compensation available to you in a faulty medical device product liability claim. We would carefully review any settlement offer and discuss with the client whether in our view it represented a fair offer, based on the client’s injuries and losses.
Contact Herrman & Herrman in San Antonio
The product liability lawyers of Herrman & Herrman pursue faulty medical device claims in San Antonio and throughout South Texas. We believe that medical device manufacturers should be held accountable when their products cause preventable injuries. We are committed to pursuing the compensation you need to get back on your feet if you have been injured by a faulty medical device.
If you have questions about how to respond to injuries caused by the national Medtronic insulin pump recall, contact us to set up a free initial legal consultation. Let our experienced insulin pump recall attorneys review the specific facts of your claim and explain your legal options.
