La. Federal Medtronic Defibrillator Action Dismissed Based Upon Res Judicata

NEW ORLEANS — A Louisiana federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit targeting Medtronic’s implantable defibrillator and lead, ruling the claims are barred by the doctrine of res judicata because they arise out of the transaction or occurrence that was the subject matter of a previous action that had been adjudicated.

In a Dec. 23 order, Judge Susie Morgan of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana further ruled that a 2021 FDA recall of the device at issue, in of itself, create a new cause of action under the Louisiana Products Liability Act (LPLA).

David Reddick was …