Da Vinci Robot Lawsuit Update: Bernstein Liebhard LLP Notes Latest Disclosures from Intuitive Surgical, Inc. Regarding Da Vinci Robot Sales, Procedures

NEW YORK, Jan. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- As da Vinci robot lawsuits (http://www.davincirobotlawsuithelp.com/ ) involving Intuitive Surgical Inc.'s da Vinci Surgical System continue to move forward in courts around the country, Bernstein Liebhard LLP notes the company has reported that sales of the robotic surgery platform dropped slightly in the fourth quarter of 2013, to 138 from 175 during the same quarter last year.  In a statement posted on its website, Intuitive also disclosed that it had sold a total of 546 da Vinci Surgical Systems during 2013, compared with 620 systems in 2012. However, da Vinci procedures did increase by about 12% during the fourth quarter of 2013. Intuitive Surgical, Inc. will release full financial results for the quarter on January 23^rd.

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"These disclosures come at a time when Intuitive Surgical is facing increasing questions about the cost, effectiveness and safety of the da Vinci Surgical System, as well as mounting product liability lawsuits involving the device," says Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationwide law firm representing the victims of defective drugs and medical devices. The Firm is currently offering free da Vinci lawsuit evaluations to individuals who allegedly suffered serious robotic surgery complications in procedures involving the da Vinci Surgical System.

Da Vinci Robot Lawsuits

In its last quarterly earnings report released in October 2013, Intuitive Surgical disclosed that it had been named in at least 50 da Vinci lawsuits filed on behalf of individuals who allegedly sustained serious, and sometimes fatal, robotic surgery complications in da Vinci procedures. According to Intuitive, these lawsuits claim that patient injuries were the result of defects in the device and/or issues with the way the company trains surgeons to use the robot.

Late last year, the company issued two separate Class II recalls for da Vinci robot components, including instrument arms that the company said could stall during procedures. The second recall involved Large Needle Driver and Mega Needle Driver Endowrist Instruments, which Intuitive said had been associated with a high rate of detachment. According to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), A Class II recall indicates that a device may cause temporary or medically reversible health problems, as well as the possibility of serious health problems.

In November, Bloomberg.com revealed that robotic surgery complications associated with the da Vinci robot had more than doubled last year. For its part, Intuitive Surgical maintains that the increase was related to the growth of robotic procedures, and asserted that "total adverse event rates have remained low and in line with historical trends."  That same month, the FDA released the results of a physician survey which suggested that issues involving training on the da Vinci robot might be impacting patient safety. The 11 respondents to the survey indicated that there exists a lack of consistent training methods, and that the da Vinci is difficult to master, though they did report overall positive experiences with the device.

Individuals who suffered robotic surgery complications that may be associated with the da Vinci robot could be entitled to financial compensation for their injury-related damages. To learn more, please visit Bernstein Liebhard LLP's website, or the Firm's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/davincirobotlawsuit. To obtain a free review of your potential da Vinci lawsuit, please call (888) 340-4807.

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, including those who have been harmed by dangerous drugs, defective medical devices and consumer products. The firm has been named by The National Law Journal to the "Plaintiffs' Hot List," recognizing the top plaintiffs' firms in the country, for the past 11 consecutive years.

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SOURCE Bernstein Liebhard LLP