Medtronic Injections Lawsuit Amounts
Medtronic is a well-known manufacturer of hearing aids and associated products. A company press release dated 4 June 2021 announcing a new lawsuit settlement was issued about the suit high costs of the company. These costs had been a great worry for employees and had led to unpaid wages and overtime. The lawsuit settlement was the result of an unfair labor practice lawsuit brought by the United States Department of Labor (DOL). This Labor Department’s contention was that Medtronic was in violation of its federal employee work agreement rule which forbade discrimination of disabled workers.
As the result of this DOL investigation, the company changed several aspects of its hearing aid delivery system.
Some of these changes resulted in lower costs. However, the main area where they made changes was with regards to the delivery of devices. The major areas affected were the implant port and the capsule. Other minor changes included using a more sterile process when manufacturing hearing aids and not using lead based hearing assistive.
The original complaint was that Medtronic’s hearing aids failed to deliver enough sound for people who are hard of hearing.
Some of the costs included missed appointments with hearing specialists and reduced hearing ability due to exposure to noise. The changes were supposed to resolve this problem. There are some costs associated with the changes that will be paid by the company through their insurance plan and not through the lawsuit damages. In addition, many people believe that the changes have lowered the effectiveness of their hearing protection.
Many people believe that the reason behind the suit is that the warranty on the devices was inadequate.
The warranty has since been extended to accommodate claims of hearing loss due to long-term exposure to noise. However, the majority of plaintiffs were unable to show that they suffered hearing loss due to this exposure. Additionally, there is no evidence linking exposure to excessive noise to increased cases of hearing loss. It is not uncommon for employees to work through much of the day and not get any exposure to loud noise.
Some of the costs associated with the lawsuit are based upon the claims of insurance carriers.
If the employer is covered by a policy, it is possible that costs can be shifted to the defendant. This is called cross-charging and is not common. Many companies are aware that the vast majority of plaintiffs are unable to identify specific damages that were caused by exposure to noise and so they avoid such situations. These types of lawsuits are filed in all parts of the country.
The typical case involves an employee experiencing minor discomfort from exposure to noise. A doctor’s examination does not immediately show hearing damage and so the employee is sent home without further assessment. On day’s end, the employee suffers an injury that requires medical care. Because there are no symptoms of hearing loss, the employee fails to file a report or attend court sessions to recover compensation.
Medtronic has a long track record of providing excellent customer service and a strong safety history.
Unfortunately, due to the number of injuries and related cases that it has been responsible for in recent years, there have been very few claims made. If you suffer an injury that is a result of Medtronic’s negligence, you should consult an employment solicitor as soon as possible. Medtronic’s insurance company will likely be contacted and the claims lawyer will file a lawsuit on your behalf.
If you have sustained injuries at work because of Medtronic’s negligence, you should immediately contact an experienced accident lawyer who has experience representing people who have suffered injuries on the job. In many circumstances, it can be difficult to determine whether or not you are owed compensation. You need someone who knows the rules and regulations governing Medtronic’s injury claims. There is considerable risk involved in pursuing a case without this type of expert help. Having an experienced personal injury attorney on your team can mean the difference between a small monetary settlement or being awarded significant monetary damages. There may be long-term and substantial benefits to settling with an experienced Medtronic lawyer on your behalf.