A former NFL player may proceed with a federal lawsuit against Stryker (NYSE:SYK) and I-Flow over a pain pump that the player claims destroyed the cartilage in his shoulder.
U.S. District Court Judge Gloria Navarro ruled last week that former New England Patriots linebacker Ryan Claridge could add specifics to his claim that Stryker and I-Flow misrepresented to Claridge and his physician that the I-Flow On-Q pain pump was safe to use on joints.
Claridge, who had a four-year contract with the Patriots beginning in 2005, injured his shoulder and underwent surgery, after which his surgeon implanted the On-Q pain pump. The FDA had warned against using the pain pump on joints because of the danger that it could destroy cartilage, causing chondrolysis. (I-Flow amended the device’s label in 2006 to that effect, according to an adverse event report made to the FDA.)
Navarro dismissed part of Claridge’s lawsuit but allowed him to add details about what the companies’ representatives allegedly told Claridge’s physician and the hospitals where he operated about using the pain pump on joints. She also said Claridge may still seek punitive damages based on his amended complaint.