Federal Settlement Announced — Texas Morcellator Injury Lawyers

As our Texas morcellator injury lawyers have reported, power morcellators cause cancer.

For that reason, in early July 2015, manufacturers entered into a confidential settlement with a Pennsylvania man whose wife died from morcellator-related cancer in February 2013.

The Burkhart Settlement

Donna Burkhart’s doctor used a morcellator to perform her hysterectomy in March 2012.  Nine days later, she learned that the morcellator had spread or “seeded” cancerous leiomyosarcoma throughout her body.

After Ms. Burkhart’s death, husband Scott Burkhart filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.  He sought damages for lost future income, including retirement and Social Security benefits.

The claims alleged were for negligence, strict liability, and breach of warranty.

FDA Warning:  Don’t Use Morcellators

The FDA previously issued a “black box” warning for morcellators that essentially says they should not be used.

Morcellators have been used in about 10 percent of the 600,000 hysterectormies performed every year.

The reason power morcellators were used is that they allow hysterectomies and myomectomies to be performed with smaller incisions, which was thought to make the procedures less invasive, and reduce patient recovery time.

Unfortunately, power morcellators essentially act as power tool that spreads around any cancerous tissue that may be present.

The kind of cancer that morcellators spread, “Leiomyosarcoma (LMS)”, is a particularly deadly form of cancer.

Johnson & Johnson Morcellators

Most morcellators were manufactured by Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Ethicon, which withdrew the from the market in 2014 following mounting pressure and impending lawsuits.

Other manufacturers are LiNA Medical and Blue Endo.

Our Texas Morcellator Injury Lawyers Can Help

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer following a hysterectomy or myomectomy involving a power morcellator, our Houston morcellator injury lawyers can help.

Please contact us now for a free, confidential consultation.  We represent all clients on contingency fee, which means you only pay if we win.