Barone v. Bausch & Lomb, Inc.

372 F. Supp. 3d 141
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. New York
DecidedMarch 12, 2019
Docket6:17-CV-06877 EAW
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 372 F. Supp. 3d 141 (Barone v. Bausch & Lomb, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Barone v. Bausch & Lomb, Inc., 372 F. Supp. 3d 141 (W.D.N.Y. 2019).

Opinion

ELIZABETH A. WOLFORD, United States District Judge *144INTRODUCTION

On May 9, 2017, Plaintiff Joseph Barone ("Plaintiff") commenced this action by filing a summons and complaint in New York State Supreme Court, County of Monroe, alleging various common law causes of action against Bausch & Lomb, Inc. ("B & L"), Morcher GmbH ("Morcher"), and FCI Opthalmics, Inc. ("FCI") (collectively, "Defendants") resulting from the alleged malfunction of products surgically implanted into Plaintiff's right eye. (See Dkt. 1-2 at 3-14). On November 6, 2017, Plaintiff filed an amended complaint (the "Amended Complaint"). (Id. at 195-207). B & L then removed thisaction to federal court on December 20, 2017, alleging federal question jurisdiction. (Dkt. 1 at 6). In support of this proposition, B & L relies upon Grable & Sons Metal Prod., Inc. v. Darue Eng'g & Mfg. , 545 U.S. 308, 312, 125 S.Ct. 2363, 162 L.Ed.2d 257 (2005), which held that federal question jurisdiction may be asserted over state-law claims that "implicate significant federal issues." B & L subsequently filed a motion to dismiss Plaintiff's Amended Complaint on preemption grounds. (Dkt. 6).

On August 27, 2018, the Court held oral argument on B & L's motion to dismiss. (Dkt. 33). During the motion hearing, the Court raised sua sponte the issue of subject matter jurisdiction and required additional briefing on this issue. The Court held further oral argument on February 26, 2019, to address the issue of its subject matter jurisdiction, and the Court reserved decision. (Dkt. 49). For the foregoing reasons, the Court remands this case to New York State Supreme Court, County of Monroe, for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.

BACKGROUND

The following facts are drawn from Plaintiff's Amended Complaint and are taken as true for the purpose of determining whether this Court has subject matter jurisdiction over this action. (Dkt. 1-2 at 195-207). Plaintiff commenced this action due to an alleged product defect found in B & L's Crystalens AO Lens (the "Crystalens"), and Morcher and FCFs Capsular Tension Ring. (Id. at 195). On August 20, 2015, these products were implanted into Plaintiff's right eye to improve his vision. (Id. ). However, these products failed within a matter of weeks, resulting in "multiple follow-up surgeries, extreme pain and discomfort, an inability to see, and permanent injuries." (Id. ).

The Crystalens is a Class III medical device, which received "Premarket Approval" ("PMA") from the United States Food and Drug Administration (the "FDA") in 2003. (Id. at 197). As such, federal standards and regulations govern the manufacture and distribution of this product. (Id. ). "[A]s a condition of continued approval to distribute" the Crystalens, B & L was required to submit "Adverse Reaction Reports" to the FDA 10 days *145after B & L became aware of an injury attributable to the device that had not been addressed by the product's label or that was addressed by the labeling but was "occurring with unexpected severity of frequency." (Id. ). The FDA also maintains the Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience ("MAUDE") database, which is open to the public, "known to and discussed by the medical community," and displays information about reported adverse reactions to regulated devices. (Id. ).

As early as April 2009, B & L became aware that the Crystalens could malfunction due to a defect referred to as "Z syndrome," which caused the device "to assume a 'Z' shape and to stop functioning." (Id. at 197-98). Despite this knowledge, B & L allegedly "failed to file Adverse Reaction Reports for all known incidents of Z Syndrome." (Id. at 198). As a result, B & L "violated 21 C.F.R. § 803.50(a) and the conditions set by the FDA's initial approval for the Crystalens." (Id. ).

"[U]pon information and belief," Plaintiff alleges that his Crystalens device "may" have failed as "a result of Z syndrome." (Id. at 199). Plaintiff states that "by underreporting the frequency of Z syndrome defects or adverse reactions with Crystalens," B & L "affirmatively misrepresented both to the FDA and to the medical community ... the unique Z syndrome risks associated with the Crystalens." (Id. ). According to Plaintiff, because his doctor relied upon B & L's "underreporting [of] Z syndrome incidents," had B & L "communicated adverse events to the FDA," Plaintiff and his doctor would have been "effectively warned ... of the risks of Z syndrome associated with the Crystalens through the MAUDE database." (Id. ). Furthermore, had Plaintiff known the "true frequency" at which this defect occurs, "he would not have agreed to the implantation of the Crystalens." (Id. ).

Plaintiff asserts strict liability and negligent failure to warn claims against B & L, and breach of warranty, negligence, defective design and manufacture, and strict liability failure to warn claims against Morcher and FCI.1 Plaintiff alleges that B & L "was under a duty to provide adequate warnings of any dangers known or which should have been known regarding" the Crystalens. (Id. at 204). B & L "failed to provide adequate warnings to [P]laintiff and to [P]laintiff's eye doctor by failing to report known occurrences of Z Syndrome to the FDA," and as a "direct and proximate" result of this failure to warn, Plaintiff suffered injuries. (Id. at 205). Plaintiff further alleges that B & L "owed and breached parallel state and federal duties" by failing to notify the FDA about "post-PMA approval instances of Z syndrome," and that B & L's "underreporting [of] Z Syndrome" was a "violation of state and federal law." (Id. ). B & L's duty of reasonable care required that it "warn Plaintiff and Plaintiff's eye doctor of the propensity of the product, and to properly instruct relative to the product's implantation, use, and care." (Id. at 205-06).

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On December 20, 2017, B & L removed this action to federal court, alleging that this Court had federal question jurisdiction over this matter. (Dkt. 1). On December *14627, 2017, B & L filed a motion to dismiss Plaintiff's Amended Complaint for failure to state a claim. (Dkt. 6). Specifically, B & L contends that Plaintiff's claims are preempted by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C.

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372 F. Supp. 3d 141, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/barone-v-bausch-lomb-inc-nywd-2019.