Covidien plc (NYSE:COV) won a $4.8 million verdict from Texas jury in a patent infringement lawsuit against Applied Medical Resources Corp.
The Mansfield, Mass.-based medical products conglomerate sued AMR in October 2009, alleging that the Norwalk, Conn.-based company’s Kii and Universal Seal laparoscopic trocars infringed five of its patents.
The jury in the U.S. District Court for Eastern Texas ruled that AMR infringed one of the patents, "Valve System For Cannula Assembly," awarding damages of $1 for each of the 4.8 million infringing trocars sold. AMR admitted to infringing another patent, for "Valve System For Introducing Objects Into Anatomical Body Portions," and Covidien decided to drop the remaining three patents from the trial, according to Covidien spokesman David Young.
"We will continue to vigorously protect our innovations and intellectual property,” Ralph Corradi, vice president of Covidien’s endomechanical franchise, said in prepared remarks.