McPhee v. DePuy Orthopedics, Inc.

989 F. Supp. 2d 451, 2012 WL 9321382, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 189365
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedSeptember 28, 2012
DocketCivil Action No. 3:11-CV-287
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 989 F. Supp. 2d 451 (McPhee v. DePuy Orthopedics, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McPhee v. DePuy Orthopedics, Inc., 989 F. Supp. 2d 451, 2012 WL 9321382, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 189365 (W.D. Pa. 2012).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER OF COURT

KIM R. GIBSON, District Judge.

I. SYNOPSIS

This matter comes before the Court on Defendants DePuy, DePuy Orthopedics, Inc., and Johnson & Johnson’s “Motion to Dismiss” . (Doc. No. 11). Defendants moved to dismiss the instant action under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(2) and (6). Pursuant to the agreement of the parties to dismiss all claims against DePuy and Johnson & Johnson, Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(2) is now moot. Defendant DePuy Othopedics Inc.’s Motion to Dismiss Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6), which Plaintiff opposes, remains before the Court. For the reasons that follow, the Motion is GRANTED.

II. JURISDICTION AND VENUE

The Court has jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1332 and 1441. Venue is proper pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1441(a).1

[454]*454III. BACKGROUND2

This case stems from the implantation of medical devices,3 specifically a Duraloc Sector Cup, an Enduron Polyethylene liner,4 an AML Hip System MMA 1557-02-000, and a Depuy Artieul/EZE Ball 1365-11-00, S1LBE1014 (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “device”), in Plaintiff Barbara McPhee (hereinafter “Plaintiff-wife”). (See Doc. No. 1-2 at 1-2.) The device was surgically implanted in Plaintiff-wife in 1999 during a procedure performed at Altoona Hospital, Blair County, Pennsylvania. (See Doc. No. 1-2 at 3, 17.) Although unclear from the face of Plaintiff s Complaint, it appears that the device was implanted in connection with a total hip replacement surgery.5 (See Doc. No. 12 at 2.) In November 2008, Plaintiff-wife experienced pain while walking in her home. (See Doc. No. 1-2 at 3.) Immediately thereafter, Plaintiff-wife visited a physician, Robert Singh, M.D., who informed Plaintiff-wife that the shaft of the implant had shattered. (See Doc. No. 1-2 at 4.) Plaintiff-wife underwent revision surgery on or about June 15, 2009, during which the broken device was removed and replaced with a new device. (See Doc. No. 1-2 at 4.) Since the reversion surgery, Plaintiff-wife suffers from progressively worsening, severe and debilitating pain. (See Doc. No. 1-2 at 4.)

Plaintiffs commenced the instant action in the Court of Common Pleas of Blair County, Pennsylvania to recover damages from DePuy, DePuy Orthopedics, Inc., and Johnson & Johnson. (See Doc. No. 1.) Defendants removed the case to this Court on December 19, 2011. (Doc. No. 1.) On January 23, 2012, Defendants filed the instant Motion to Dismiss (Doc. No. 11), accompanied by a Brief in Support of Motion to Dismiss (Doc. No. 12), and a Verified Declaration of Lacey P. Elberg (Doc. No. 13). On February 15, 2012, Plaintiffs filed a response to Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss (Doe. No. 15), accompanied by Plaintiffs Brief in Opposition to Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss (hereinafter “Plaintiffs’ Brief in Opposition”) (Doc. No. 16). Defendants were granted leave to file a reply brief to Plaintiffs’ Brief in Opposition, and Defendant DePuy Orthopedics, Inc. filed a Reply Brief in Support of Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss (hereinafter “Sur-Reply Brief’) (Doc. No. 29) on March 13, 2012.

[455]*455Plaintiffs’ Complaint contains six counts against Defendants DePuy, DePuy Orthopedics, Inc., and Johnson & Johnson. (See Doc. No. 1-2.) Pursuant to the stipulation of the parties, this Court dismissed this action with prejudice as to Defendants De-Puy and Johnson & Johnson on February 23, 2012, leaving DePuy Orthopedics, Inc. as the sole defendant (hereinafter “Defendant”). (Doc. No. 22.) In Counts II and IV of their Complaint, Plaintiffs assert claims solely against DePuy and Johnsons & Johnson, respectively. (See Doc. No. 1-2 at 8-10, 14-16.) In light of the dismissal as to these Defendants, Counts II and IV are moot. In Counts I, III, V, and VI, Plaintiffs assert claims against Defendant on the theories of strict liability, negligence, breach of express and implied warranties, and loss of consortium. (See Doc. No. 1-2 at 5-8, 11-13, 16-19.) In Defendants’ initial Motion to Dismiss, Defendants requested that this Court dismiss the action for lack of personal jurisdiction over DePuy and Johnson & Johnson and for Plaintiffs’ failure to state a claim. (Doc. No. 11.) Pursuant to the dismissal of the action as to Defendants DePuy and Johnson & Johnson, Defendants’ motion with respect to Defendants DePuy and Johnson & Johnson is moot. The Court now addresses the request of the sole remaining Defendant, DePuy Orthopedics, Inc., that the Court dismiss the remaining counts of the Complaint — Counts I, III, V, and VI — for failure to state a claim.

IV. STANDARD OP REVIEW

Defendant moves to dismiss the pending claims pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. Rule 12(b)(6) must be balanced with the requirements of Rule 8, which governs general pleading matters and provides that “[a] pleading that states a claim for relief must contain ... a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 8.

While the decisions of the United States Supreme Court in Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007), and Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009), represented a significant change in federal pleading standards, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has provided clear guidance to the district courts. To wit:

after Iqbal, when presented with a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim, district courts should conduct a two-part analysis. First, the factual and legal elements of a claim should be separated. The District Court must accept all of the complaint’s well-pleaded facts as true, but may disregard any legal conclusions. Id. Second, a District Court must then determine whether the facts alleged in the complaint are sufficient to show that the plaintiff has a “plausible claim for relief.” 129 S.Ct. at 1950. In other words, a complaint must do more than allege the plaintiffs entitlement to relief. A complaint has to “show” such an entitlement with its facts. See Phillips, 515 F.3d at 234-35. As the Supreme Court instructed in Iqbal,

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Bluebook (online)
989 F. Supp. 2d 451, 2012 WL 9321382, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 189365, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcphee-v-depuy-orthopedics-inc-pawd-2012.