Eggerling v. Advanced Bionics, LLC

958 F. Supp. 2d 1029, 2013 WL 3820024, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 103366
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Iowa
DecidedJuly 24, 2013
DocketNo. C 11-4104-MWB
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 958 F. Supp. 2d 1029 (Eggerling v. Advanced Bionics, LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Eggerling v. Advanced Bionics, LLC, 958 F. Supp. 2d 1029, 2013 WL 3820024, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 103366 (N.D. Iowa 2013).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER REGARDING DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

MARK W. BENNETT, District Judge.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION.......................................................1032

II. LEGAL ANALYSIS.....................................................1032

A. Summary Judgment Standards......................................1032

B. Bars To Preemption................................................1033

1. Issue preclusion ................................................1033

2. FDA approval as a prerequisite to preemption.....................1035

3. “Parallel” state law claims........ 1036

a. The scope of MDA preemption................................1036

b. Claims based on non-compliance with general CGMPs .........1036

c. Claims based on non-compliance with the PMA and specific CGMPs ..................................................1037

[1032]*1032i. Design defect claims..................................1037

it. Manufacturing defect claims..........................1038

iii. Negligent and inadequate testing claims ...............1039

III. CONCLUSION................... .....................................1039

I. INTRODUCTION

This is another in a series of product liability cases against defendant Advanced Bionics, L.L.C., (AB) concerning an allegedly defective cochlear implant, called the HiRes 90k, with an AstroSeal feed-thru assembly, which was intended to allow some profoundly deaf people to hear. This case arises from the failure and replacement of the cochlear implant received by the minor daughter of plaintiffs Dennis and Melissa Eggerling. In this case, as in several similar cases in other jurisdictions, AB has filed a Motion For Summary Judgment (docket no. 41) on the ground that the Eggerlings’ claims are expressly or impliedly preempted by the Medical Device Amendments (MDA) to the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA), pursuant to Riegel v. Medtronic, Inc., 552 U.S. 312, 128 S.Ct. 999, 169 L.Ed.2d 892 (2008); 21 U.S.C. § 360k(a); Buckman v. Plaintiffs’ Legal Committee, 531 U.S. 341, 121 S.Ct. 1012, 148 L.Ed.2d 854 (2001); and 21 U.S.C. § 337(a).

The Eggerlings counter that their claims are not preempted, because AB is collaterally estopped to assert its preemption defense by contrary determinations in a prior case against it over the same cochlear implant; because the specific cochlear implant that they allege caused their damage was not FDA-approved, where AB had made an unapproved substitution of a critical component, the AstroSeal feed-thru assembly, instead of a Pacific Aerospace and Electronics (PA & E) feed-thru assembly on which pre-market approval (PMA) by the FDA had been based; and because, even if AB might otherwise be able to assert preemption, their negligence and strict liability product liability claims are valid “parallel” claims that are not preempted.1 In order to simplify the trial, however, the Eggerlings “withdraw” their claims of breach of warranty, fraud, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

II. LEGAL ANALYSIS

A. Summary Judgment Standards

Summary judgment is only appropriate when “the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue of material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c) (emphasis added); see Woods v. DaimlerChrysler Corp., 409 F.3d 984, 990 (8th Cir.2005) (“Summary judgment is appropriate if viewing the record in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party, there are no genuine issues of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.”); see generally Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323-24,106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). “The nonmovant ‘must do more than simply show that there is some metaphysical doubt as to the material facts,’ and must come forward with ‘specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.’ ” Torgerson v. City of Rochester, 643 F.3d 1031, 1042-43 (8th Cir.2011) (en banc) (quoting Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 586-87, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986)). Summary judgment is particular[1033]*1033ly appropriate when only questions of law are involved, rather than factual issues that may or may not be subject to genuine dispute. See, e.g., Cremona v. R.S. Bacon Veneer Co., 433 F.3d 617, 620 (8th Cir. 2006). For instance, “issue preclusion,” which is central to the Eggerlings’ resistance, is appropriately adjudicated by summary judgment, because whether or not the elements of issue preclusion are satisfied is a question of law. See Employers Mut. Cas. Co. v. Van Haaften, 815 N.W.2d 17, 22 (Iowa 2012).

B. Bars To Preemption

I note, from the outset, that all of the courts to consider AB’s preemption arguments on summary judgment have held that at least some parts of the claims of the plaintiffs in those cases were not preempted. Similarly, I conclude that at least some of the claims presented here also survive AB’s Motion For Summary Judgment based on preemption. Notwithstanding the parties’ substantial briefing and the Eggerlings’ lengthy statement of additional facts, only the Eggerlings’ last argument, that they have asserted non-preempted “parallel” state law claims, presents any significant question on AB’s Motion For Summary Judgment.

1. Issue preclusion

First, the form of “collateral estoppel” at issue here, “issue preclusion,” presents no bar to AB’s assertion of preemption. As the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals has explained,

[Courts] look to state law in determining whether to apply issue preclusion. See Royal Ins. Co. of Am. v. Kirksville Coll. of Osteopathic Med., Inc.,

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
958 F. Supp. 2d 1029, 2013 WL 3820024, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 103366, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/eggerling-v-advanced-bionics-llc-iand-2013.