Witt v. Stryker Corporation of Michigan et al

Filing 87

ORDER Granting 70 Motion for Summary Judgment. Signed by Senior Judge James Lawrence King on 4/20/2015. (jw)

UNI
TED STA TES D I
STRI CO URT
CT
SO UTHERN DI
STRICT OF FLORI
DA
CASE NO .1: c 20742- N G
13- vKI
SANDRA W I
TT,
Pl ntf,
ai if
VS.

HOW M EDI
CALL OSTEONI CORP.
CS
,
aNe J r e cor a i
w e s y por ton,
d/ / StykerOrhopa c
ba r
t edi s

De e
f ndant
.
/
O RDER G M NTI D EFENDANT' M O TI N FO R SUM M ARY JUD GM ENT
NG
S
O
THI CAU SE com e bef e t Cour upon D e enda ' M oton f Summ ar
S
s
or he
t
f
nts
i or
y

J d me t( 7 ) Thi i a a to f rd ma sb Plitf Sa d aW ita an tDe e a t
u g n DE 0 . s s n cin o a ge y an if n r t g is fnd n
Howm e c Ose c Cor under t t i s of src la lt and ne i
di al t oni s
p.
he heore
tit i biiy
glgence
.

Howm e c de oped,m anuf t ed, a dit i e t EI S Uni m pa t e alKne
di al vel
ac ur
nd srbut d he U
co rm nt
e

S tm (i US' .W italg dy s t ie ij isd t a d fci ey d sg e EI t a
yse $
EI ' t le e l usan d n ure ue o e e tv l e in d US h t
)
wass gialy i t led i he kne i 2008.She ha t EI r oved durng a s eque
ur c l ns a l n r e n
d he US em
i
ubs
nt
s ge y i 2009,a r ei d a t a knee r pl m e .W itac
ur r n
nd ec ve
ot l
e ace nt t knowl
edgest tbo h count
ha t
s
ofhe Sec Am e d Com pl ntar lpr m ied on de i de ec ,'DE 76,a 3,a oppos
r ond
nde
ai e ' e s
sgn f t'
t s
ed
t m a a t i def c s orat y ofne i
o nuf c urng e t ,
heor
glgentf l et war
aiur o
n.
=
1

G o ni LeealSt
ver ne
andar
ds

$ n or rt hol a m anuf t erla e on t t y ofsrc la lt i t t t us r
$ de o d
1
ac ur ibl
he heor
ti t i biiy n or, he e
mus esa ih t m a acur r s r ltons p t t pr
t t bls he nuf t e ' ea i hi o he oduc i que ton,t de ec a
t n
si
he f t nd
unr s bl da ous c ton oft pr
ea ona y nger
ondii
he oduc ,a t e sence oft pr m a e ca a
t nd he xit
he oxi t us l

c n e to b t e s h c n to a d t e u e ' ij re o d ma s' We tv Catr la
o n ci n ewe n uc o di n n h s rs n u is r a ge . s . epilr
i
'
Tr t Co. 336 So.2d 80,87 ( a 1 6 .To p o e h rcam f ne i e td sg ,W it
ac or ,
' . 97 )
Fl
r v e li or glg n e in t
.

mus s
t how t tHow medi alowe he a du y,t tHowm e calbr c d t dut t tt
ha
c
d r
t ha
di
ea he he y, ha he

b e c wa t pr xi t c us o h rij is a d t ts es fr d d ma sr s tng fo
r a h s he o mae a e f e n ure , n ha h ufe e a ge e ul r m
i
t s ij re . e M u r y v T a x sCor ,7 So. d 6 , 3 ( a 2 DCA 2 2 . de
ho e nu is S e r a . r x a
p. 8 3 91 69 Fl . d
01 ) Un r
eihert r W itm us pr t t EI was de ec i i desgn,and t tHow medi '
t heo y, t
t ove hat he US
f tve n i
ha
cals

a to so o s in p o maey c us dh rij y.
ci n r miso s r xi tl a e e n ur
L

S a r o M o i n f rSummar J
t nda d n to o
v udeme
nt

S
ummayj me ti a r p it wheet pla ng a s po t maeil
r udg n s pp o rae r he e di s nd up ri
ng tras
esabls t t e i no genui is ast any m a eralf ta t t m ovi pa y i
t ih hat her s
ne s ue o
t i ac nd hat he
ng rt s

e ild t j dg nta a matroflw. eFe R.Ci P.5 'Ceotx Co p.v Ca r t,
ntte o u me s
te a Se d.
v. 6, l e r . te t
4 U. 31 3 ( 98 . f c i ' tra ' i i i l y d tr net o t omeund r
77 S. 7, 22 1 6) A a t s i e il' f t s na e e mi he u c
ma
e
t a i abl s t i l .Ande son v. fi t Lobb I , 477 U . 242, 248
he pplc e ubs antve aw
r
bery
y, nc.
S.

( 9 6) Th no m o ng pa t mus s w s c ic f cst s ppo tt tt e e i a g n n
1 8 . e n vi
ry t ho pe i a t o u r ha h r s e ui e

ds t. d a 256 Onamoin frs mmayj d n,hec ur mu tviw t e d n e
ipue I t .
to o u r u gme tt o t s e he vie c
a r ol al i e e
nd es ve 1 nf r nces i t lghtm os f abl t t nonm ovi pary.1 a 255.
n he i
t avor e o he
ng t d. t

I rviwi t rc r e d n e he Co r ma no u e tke t j r sf nci of
n e e ng he e o d vie c ,t
u t y t nd ra he u y' u ton
wei ng t evi
ghi he dence or unde t ki c e biiy det m i tons.Latmer v. Roari
r a ng r di lt
er na i
i
ng

To z f c,6 1F,d 1 4,1 37 ( 1h Ci. 1 .
y , n . 0 3 22 2 1 t r 20 0)
1

TheEI W a Lo eand Re ve Easl DurneW itsExplntSur e v
US s os
mo d iv
i
t'
a
er

To s
how t tt EI wasde ec i l desgne W itof e ed t t tmony ofonl
ha he US
f tvey
i d, t f r he esi
y
one i vi l a pr f r d e r nam e Dr J r y Lublne .The Cour has e l
ndi dua ,
ofe e xpe t
d . er
i r
t
xcuded hi
s
2

o no a ur e ibl b s pa ae Or e ( 8 ) Dr Lu i e ba e hi c ncuso :ha
piins s l la e y e r t d r DE 6 . . bln r s d s o l in, i t
r
t
t r wasf l e i t m e ni o r ton oft EI S devi e i t rghtkne ofSa a
he e
aiur n he cha cal pe a i
he U
c n he i
e
ndr

W it' e ie y on t appar ntl e s a ea y r m ova lt oft EI S durng W its
t,' ntr l
he
e oos ne s nd s e
biiy
he U
i
t'
1 t
he
t
xcl
e a s ge y i 2009. A lhough t Cour hase uded Dr Lublne ' opi ons, he Cour
xplnt ur r n
.
i r s ni t
t
m a silc l
y tl oncude,i t lghtm os f abl t W it t t t EI S was l e a easl
n he i
t avor e o t, ha he U
oos nd iy
r
emoved i 2009 d i W its expl nt s ge y.How e r t Cour i sill f wihout a
n
urng t'
a ur r
ve , he
t s tl e t t
s
howi t t t EI S was de ec i y desgne W hy w a t EI l e a easl
ng ha he U
f tvel
i d.
s he US oos nd
iy
r
emove i 20097 W as i due t a kf iur i t mecha ca ope aton' oft de c Di
d n
t
o ia l e n he
ni l r i ' he vie? d
W itss geon ne i nty i plr t devi i 2008?D i W itpa tci e i e r es t
t' ur
glge l m a d he
ce n
d t r i pat n xtem pors
a i tt a ce ofherdoc or ? I t EI su
gans he dvi
t s s he US ppos t be l e a e iy r
ed o
oos nd asl emove one
d
yea aheri a i Al oft a
r
mplntng? l he bove?
The Cour a
t cknow l
edges t t S he l e e e se
ha s
t m r xit nce of ale na i t or e f t
t r tve he i s or he

a cd n (rh r , h l o e s a d e s rmo bii oft e EIJ c nn tbet b ssf r
c ie t o e e t e o s ne s n a y e va lt h ISj a o
y
he a i o

tkngt weghn of hee i e eo tof h j y' ha s'' or n v Am.v/ / Equp.
a i he i ig t v d nc u t e ur s nd .'Mo ma . il d. i ,
p
5 4 So.2 7 5,8 1 ( a 4t DCA l 9 )( uo ig Z # r v Ta o ,4 So.2 1 8
9
d 9 0 Fl. h
9 2 q tn y man . yl r 44
d 08 ,
1 9 ( a 4 h DCA 1 4). tt ge t t j r o h rcams W itwo d ha et c me
0 2 Fl. t
98 ) Bu o t o he u y n e li , t ul v o o
f r r wih e ie e f rt ej r t weg e de e t tte EI i a t d i W its
o wad t vd nc o h u y o ih vi nc ha h US mpln e n t'
k e wa d fc iey de i e ,a d t ta de i n dee 'c us d h r ij r S h sc me
n e s e e tv l sgn d n ha
sg f c a e e n u y. he a o
t
f wa d w ih none.2
or r t

1The l e s and ea y r
oos nes
s emova lt oft EI w e e notphe
biiy
he US r
nom e t t Dr Lublne
na ha
.
i r
per onaly obs r
s l
e ved.He r d t si or a i i a oper tve r por,
ea hi nf m ton n n
ai e t
2The Coul not t e i Dr Lublne ' t tmony ha notbee e l
' es hat ven f .
t
i r s esi
d
n xc uded,i w oul beno
t
d
hel t W ither Hi one- e e opi on on t EI S' a lge def twasS hatt r was
p o t e. s
s nt nce ni
he U : le d ec
s
k
t he e
f l e i t mec ca ope a i oft EI S devi i t rghtkne of Sa a W it'
aiur n he
hani l r ton
he U
ce n he i
e
ndr
t.'

11
1.

How m e c ' Not c ofLoos ni Pr em sand t Re loft EI
di als i e
e ne obl
he cal
he US

W ita gue t ts ha s
t r s ha he s hown e dencet s ppor herc am s bas d on desgn def t
vi
o u
t
li
e
i
ec

b c u e ( )Ho d c lh d noi e o t e EI Sp o e iy t l os n a d ( )t EI
e a s 1 wme ia a tc f h US' r p nst o o e , n 2 he US
wasr le afe W its s ger The e pori of W its ar e a e s
eca ld tr t' ur y. s
tons
t' gum nt r uppor e onl by
td y
s ant a dubi cia i t t r or - t a r l i e nalH owm edi l docum e s
c
nd
ous t tons o he ec d o ppa enty ntr
ca
nt
s h asa SDesgn and Devel entPl ' i e na m e or nda a 'Rik Anal i Re t' a
uc
l i
opm
an, nt r l m a , i s
'
ys s por,'

; 01Co o ma e Re r, a aS a f cur rPr d tHo dNo ie' De e da to j cs
1 1 nf r nc po t' nd i nu a t e o uc l tc .3 f n n b e t
N '
M
'
ta t s d c me t a e u u h n iae ( nd n ts l- uhe tc tn .The a e n te e
h t he e o u n s r na t e tc td a o efa t n iai g) y r o v n
expl i d or puti c e by c pe e t tmony i t f m of a fdavi,de ii o
ane
n ont xt
om t nt esi
n he or
fi t poston, r

ot r ie.The Cour i t r f e una e t as rbe t m a sgni a e,or c t u t m
he w s
t s he e or
bl o c i he ny i sc nc
onsr e he
a pr di evi nta y s
s ovi ng de i r uppor f W itscl m s F0rexa pl,W its a e a f l ;
t br t' ai .
m e t t t s s olows

( Rik Anay i Re o tc mp ee i J n r 1 9 )i e tse l s ni i
A s
lss p r o ltd n a uay 9 8 d n i d oo e ng n
bot t f m or and tbi l component of t M i m a l I
h he e al
ia
s
he ni ly nvasve Sur y
i
ger

Unio rme t lKne ( I UN1 a k y a e s o c nc r i t e p od c
c mpa t n a
eMS
) s e r a f o en n h r u t
de i ...By 2003 HOC was f us d on desgn c nges t t tbi
sgn.
oc e
i
ha
o he i al
c pone , and t r was not ton t t e c nges be n t a f t t
om
nt
he e
a i hat hes ha
ga o fec he
f m or c pone .Thi r pori wa dir ga de be us t y wer not
e al om
nt
s e tng s s e r d ca e he
e

c nsd r d r lt d t t e p oe t u ewa t EI Al Poy Ti a
o i e e eae o h r j c nd r y, he US 1 l bil
Co o e t o e t prj d 0 7
mp n n Prj c, o e 8 4.
DE 76,a 6.Fis ,w ihoutc
t
rt t
onrbor tng ore expl na or t tm ony,t Cour i una e
ai
ven
a t y esi
he
t s bl

t c ncu et a t e tc n c ld c me t W i r le o et e ( )s pp r t e a s rinsf r
o o l d h t h e h ia o u n s t eis n ih r a u o t h s e t
t
o o

wh c s cts t e o ( ) pr v d e d n ir s p r f h r ca ms Ev n whe
ih he ie h m, r b o i e vie tay u po t or e li . e
n
Ev n i t Co r c e ie t s , e dx tf r s
e f he u t r dtd hi l ii o umma y j dg n pu po e ,W i ' cams
ps
r u me t r s s t s li
t
woul ne t l sbepl d by t s e de i e es W ithaspr s nt d no e dence t t
d verhe es
ague
he am
fcinci . t
ee e
vi
ha
t lf l e i t m ec ni loper ton' wasduet t EI Sde ec i desgn,a oppos d
he iaiur n he
ha ca
ai '
o he US' f tve i
s
e
t t ne i nc ofW itss ge W it sown ac i ,e c.
o he glge e
t' ur on, t'
tons t

3W itfld a u p s d mo in frla et 5l t e ed c me t u e s a ( 8 ) Tha
t ie n no po e to o e v o e h s o u n s nd r e l DE 2 . t
moton i GRAN TED . The Cour has r vi w e and c i ed t e r ti t d- ce s
i s
t
e e d
onsder hes esrc e ac s

d c ns( c W i atc e t h rmo in f rla et fl u de s a)
o ume t whih t ta h d o e to o e v ( ie n r e l.
t
)

ge r l co tue W its as e tons a m os s
ne ousy nsr d, t ' s ri
t
t how t t H o m e ca was a r of
ha
w di l
wa e

lo e n a a i r a o c n en' i t EI d sg a s u d n iid sa t)i is
o s nig s n s e f o c r ' n he US e i n t ome nie tfe tge s n t
a
devel e .None of W its a s tons s
opm nt
t' s eri
uppor he c am t t t EI S i ant d i her
t r l i ha he U mpl e n

k ewa d fci ey d sg d o t tad f c t e en c u e he ij r
ne s e e tv l e i ne , r ha e e t h r i a s d r n u y.
Ot r of W its a e tons a e wholy uns
he
t' ss r i
r
l
uppoled.For exa pl W it sa e t t
t
m e, t t t s ha
û
i medi r ale t de ce on J
How
cal ec l d he vi
anuar 11
y ,201 i l ng t e c par and 1
2, ncudi he xa t t
ot
numbe e a ed i Aprl 2009, t Femor Com pone i a de ce i e td i o
r xpl nt n
i
he
al
nt mpl nt vi ns re nt
Pl ntf on A prl1 2008 w a on t ls .Ca al Numbe 6636- 011EI S 1 1X S FEM
ai if
i 8,
s
he i t t og
r
2U .
W
RW LL.'DE 76,a 7.W it cies he own Se
'
t
t t
r
cond A mended Compl nt as s
ai
uppor f t s
t or hi
sa e e .4W ithasf l d t c e f wa d wih evi nc s ic e t s
t t m nt
t
aie o om or r t
de e uf i nt o how a desgn def ct
i
e
i t EI S. He cl i s bot pr ie on de i def t ,m us f la a m a trofl
n he U 5 r am , h em s d
sgn ec s
t ài s
te
aw.

I
V. Concl i
uson
The ef e,i i O RDERED,ADJUD GED,and DECREED t tDef ndantsM oton
r or t s
ha
e
'
i

f Summay J
or
r udgme ( 70)be,a t s i,herby GRANTED.
nt DE
nd he ame s e
DO NE and O RD ERED i Chambe s a t J m es Lawr nc Ki Fede a J tce
n
r t he a
e e ng
r l usi
Buidi a Unied St t sCourhous M i m i Fl i ,t s20t day ofAprl 201
l ng nd
t
ae
t e, a , orda hi h
i, 5.

K
,
'

,
.

bV
5

.

,

*

V A/A *-e
*

ES LA W REN CE Km G
I
TED STATES DI
STRI J ' E
CT
SOUTHERN DI
STRI OF FL
CT
DA

A1 Couns lofRe d
l
e
cor
4 The e i a pe ng Def nt s m oton t e l evi nc of i er ala,t r ca las
r s
ndi
enda '
i o xc ude de e , nt
i he e l

i d s i eu de Fe r lRul ofEv d nc 4 ( ub e u ntRe dil e s e ) W itdi
na misbl n r dea e
i e e 07 S s q e
me a M a ur s. t d
notr s
e pond t t m oton.Se DE 5 I i unne s ar f t Cour t r ol i bec e
o he
i
e
2. t s
ce s y or he
t o es ve t aus
W ithasf ied t pr deevi nta y s
t
a l o ovi
de i r uppor f hercl m si a event
t or
ai n ny
.
5TheCour doesnota es Howm e c ' i
t
ddr s
di als '
Gove nmentRul D e e e''
r
es f ns .