Judge Allows Plaintiffs to Amend Medtronic Defibrillator Complaint

ATLANTA - A Georgia federal judge has dismissed a complaint brought against the maker of an allegedly defective cardiac defibrillator, ruling that the claims lack essential facts and are time-barred and preempted as pleaded. Leonard v. Medtronic Inc., No. 10-3787 (N.D. Ga.).

In an Aug. 19 order, Judge Julie E. Carnes of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia granted the plaintiff's request to amend the complaint to include facts relating to the deceased's injuries and death.

In February 2003, Lorenzo Leonard was implanted with a Medtronic implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD), Marquis VR, Model 7230. Medtronic recalled …