Jury Awards $40 Million in Bard Implanted Port Catheter Case

A federal jury in the District of Arizona has returned a unanimous verdict awarding plaintiff Kimberly Divelbliss compensatory damages of $40 million for injuries sustained from her Bard implanted port catheter.

This marked the second bellwether trial and the first verdict for the plaintiff in the multidistrict litigation. The jury found that the design of Bard's port catheter was defective and that the company failed to adequately warn users of its risks.

Divelbliss reportedly suffered severe complications, including blood clots and infections, which her attorneys argued were directly linked to the implanted device. Evidence presented during the trial suggested that Bard was aware of the potential dangers associated with the device prior to its market release.

Bard, a subsidiary of Becton Dickinson and Company (BD), has faced numerous lawsuits concerning its implanted port catheters. Company representatives have previously denied claims of product defectiveness, but this verdict could significantly impact future legal proceedings.