Bair Hugger Lawsuits Continue to Grow, As Filings in Federal Litigation Exceed 1,300, Bernstein Liebhard LLP Reports

NEW YORK, March 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The federal multidistrict litigation established in the U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota, for deep joint infection lawsuits involving the 3M Company's Bair Hugger forced air warming system continues to grow. According to a report issued today by the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML), 1,343 claims are now pending in the proceeding. That represents an increase of 140 filings since February 15th, when the JPML reported 1,203 pending lawsuits. (In Re: Bair Hugger Forced Air Warming Products Liability Litigation – MDL No. 2666)

"Our Firm is actively filing Bair Hugger lawsuits in the federal litigation, and we continue to hear from prospective plaintiffs on a fairly regular basis. We are not surprised that this proceeding continues to grow at a fairly steady pace more than a year after its creation," says Sandy A. Liebhard, a partner at Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationwide law firm representing victims of defective drugs and medical devices. The Firm is offering free, no-obligation legal review to hip and knee replacement patients who allegedly developed post-operative deep joint infections following hip or knee implant surgery that involved the use of the Bair Hugger forced air warming system.

Bair Hugger Infection Allegations

The JPML established the Bair Hugger multidistrict litigation in December 2015, so that all federally-filed claims involving the forced air warming system could undergo coordinated pretrial proceedings. All of the cases pending in the District of Minnesota were filed on behalf of hip and knee replacement patients who developed deep joint infections allegedly related to the use of the Bair Hugger during their implant surgery.

The Bair Hugger forced warming system was brought to market by Arizant Healthcare, Inc. in 1987. Arizant became a 3M subsidiary in 2006. Today, the apparatus is used by 80% of the nation's hospitals to prevent hypothermia in individuals undergoing surgery. The Bair Hugger's single-use, inflatable blanket is draped over patients during surgical procedures.  A portable heater then forces warmed air through a tube into the blanket, thus warming the patient.

Maintaining an optimal body temperature is thought to improve surgical outcomes. However, plaintiffs pursuing Bair Hugger lawsuits allege that the system suffers from a design defect that may cause the surgical site to come into contact with bacteria and other contaminants from the operating room floor. They claim that 3M and Arizant have known of this problem for years, yet have failed to modify the Bair Hugger's design or issue appropriate notice to the medical community.

Bernstein Liebhard LLP continues to offer free, no-obligation legal reviews to individuals who allegedly suffered serious deep joint infections due to the 3M Bair Hugger forced air warmer blanket. To learn more about filing a hip or knee replacement infection lawsuit, please visit the Firm's website, or contact Bernstein Liebhard LLP directly by calling 800-511-5092.

About Bernstein Liebhard LLP
Bernstein Liebhard LLP is a New York-based law firm exclusively representing injured persons in complex individual and class action lawsuits nationwide since 1993. As a national law firm, Bernstein Liebhard LLP possesses all of the legal and financial resources required to successfully challenge billion dollar pharmaceutical and medical device companies. As a result, our attorneys and legal staff have been able to recover more than $3.5 billion on behalf of our clients. Bernstein Liebhard LLP is honored to once again be named to The National Law Journal's "Plaintiffs' Hot List," recognizing the top plaintiffs firms in the country. This year's nomination marks the thirteenth year the firm has been named to this prestigious annual list.

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Bernstein Liebhard LLP
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