Chelsea Dickerson
Dickerson Oxton attorney Chelsea Dickerson is a dedicated advocate for injury victims, focusing her practice on personal injury and mass tort litigation. As co-founder of the firm, she has helped recover millions of dollars for clients in serious injury, trucking accident, motorcycle accident, and wrongful death cases. Chelsea is known for her aggressive, evidence-driven approach and her commitment to holding insurance companies and negligent parties accountable. She also represents consumers nationwide in complex pharmaceutical and medical device litigation.
Port-a-cath devices and other implanted ports are common tools in the medical profession that help deliver vital fluids and medicines to patients, but device failures could cause serious medical complications with lasting consequences. Beginning in 2023, several manufacturers of implanted ports found themselves with large class action lawsuits due to defective designs of their products, with the lawsuits continuing into 2026. The mass distribution and use of the implanted port products have led to many injuries, permanent consequences, and even death.
For those injured by a port catheter produced by one of the relevant companies, adding their case to the class action lawsuit may be able to help secure compensation for damages. However, class action lawsuits are unlike standard medical device litigation, as most individual cases will not be tried. A few representative cases will be tried in court, but the rest of the cases are added to the “class” of plaintiffs with the same effective claim. For more details about compensation available in medical device litigation, speak with an experienced mass tort lawyer from Dickerson Oxton at (816) 542-6599.
Are There Ongoing Implanted Port Litigations?
Yes, there are multiple ongoing port catheter litigations in 2026. Most prevalent is the medical device litigation against companies like Bard Access Systems Inc. (Bard) and AngioDynamics, both with current class action lawsuits that are still adding new cases to the class pool. Both companies are alleged to have negligently failed to warn patients of their product’s risks, including infections, blood clots, device fracture, and device migration.
Summary of Medical Device Litigation
Implanted ports such as port-a-cath devices can support medical treatment, but alleged design defects have led to nationwide medical device litigation involving serious injuries and deaths.
- Multiple implanted port manufacturers, including Bard Access Systems Inc. and AngioDynamics, have faced ongoing class action lawsuits from 2023 through 2026 related to alleged design defects and inadequate risk warnings.
- Reported implanted port complications include infection, blood clots, device fracture, and migration, with claims commonly pursued under product liability law rather than medical malpractice.
- Many implanted port cases proceed as mass tort or class action litigation, where representative claims move forward on behalf of a larger group of individuals with similar alleged injuries.
Dickerson Oxton represents individuals in Kansas City and surrounding areas in matters involving medical device litigation, product liability claims, and mass tort actions.
What Are Implanted Catheter Ports?
A catheter is a medical device used to administer fluids to the body of the patient, and is a common device used with many different procedures. Sometimes they are referred to as implanted ports, port-a-caths, or implantable port catheters. In many cases, for ease of access and maintenance, medical professionals will implant a catheter port so that the catheter can be connected and used easily. These implanted ports are commonly used medical devices that can aid in treatment plans and help support the well-being of patients. However, malfunctions of these ports can lead to severe injuries with permanent consequences.
Implanted Port Malfunctions That Can Cause Injuries
While port-a-cath devices can be incredibly helpful, when manufacturing errors or design defects lead them to fail, they can cause severe injuries. The ongoing medical device litigation against Bard and AngioDynamics is based on accusations that design defects directly caused the injuries and negative symptoms that thousands of individuals are experiencing across the United States. Some of the most common issues connected to malfunctions of implanted ports include the following.
- Port infection: Degradation of the implanted ports can cause infection, which can quickly spread through the body.
- Blood clots: The breakdown of the port material can lead to blood coagulation, which can cause clots in the bloodstream.
- Device fracture: Due to the material used to make implanted ports, a fracture could lead to damage to internal tissue.
- Migration: When the port or a piece of the port breaks free and changes position in the body, this is called migration, which can cause many unnecessary complications.
In these cases, it is important to note the difference between medical malpractice and product liability. If the injury was due to the negligence of a medical professional, they may be liable for the damages. However, many injuries from implanted ports are due to defects in the product itself, in which case the medical device company may be at fault.
For more information on medical device litigation, speak with an experienced mass tort lawyer from Dickerson Oxton today.
How Medical Device Litigation Works
Medical device litigation, like the implanted port lawsuits against Bard and AngioDynamics, can be incredibly complex. For victims of injuries caused by these devices, it can be challenging to understand what compensation is available, who it is available for, and how to access it. To understand how to go about pursuing compensation for damages from a mass tort claim, the plaintiff must first understand both product liability law and class action lawsuits. Additionally, reporting medical device failure to organizations such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may play a role in the case. Fortunately, a skilled mass tort lawyer in Kansas City can help explain these fields of law.
Product Liability Law
While many people may assume that injuries from implanted ports would be medical negligence, this may not be the case. If the injury resulted from the failure of the medical device, improper warnings, or manufacturing defects, then the company that produced the device may be held liable instead. In product liability law, the plaintiff must prove that the defect in the product was known or should have been discovered through reasonable safety testing and that the defect was the cause of the damages.
Class Action Lawsuits
However, for large-scale issues such as the lawsuits against Bard and AngioDynamics, it would be impractical to try every unique case against the company. For situations such as this, the American court system utilizes mass tort law. A lawsuit under mass tort law is generally referred to as a class action lawsuit. Class action lawsuits are viable when the number of plaintiffs in the class would be impractical for the court system to try individually, and the claims of the individual parties are uniform or representative of the rest of the class. Additionally, the proposed representatives must advocate for the interests of the entire class, even injured parties who are unaware of the lawsuit. This makes mass tort law a unique and complex form of legal action, which generally benefits from the specialized insight of a skilled attorney.
A Kansas City Lawyer From Dickerson Oxton Can Help
Undertaking medical device litigation is a significant task and may be overwhelming for someone without extensive legal training. This pressure is accentuated by the high cost of damages that is often associated with the failure of implanted ports. Fortunately, a skilled attorney from Dickerson Oxton can help alleviate this stress by handling the legal details for the injured party. An attorney can help by evaluating a claim, determining whether or not it qualifies for an ongoing class action suit, and providing additional legal guidance throughout the process. Schedule a consultation with a Kansas City mass tort lawyer at (816) 542-6599 to learn more about your implanted port lawsuit.
Relevant FAQs About Implanted Ports and Medical Device Litigation
Listed below are several frequently asked questions regarding implanted port lawsuits and medical device litigation.
What Is an Implanted Port or Port-a-Cath Device?
An implanted port, sometimes called a port-a-cath or implantable port catheter, is a medical device placed under the skin to allow repeated access to a vein. These devices are commonly used to administer medications, fluids, or treatments over extended periods.
What Types of Injuries Have Been Linked to Implanted Port Failures?
Alleged implanted port failures have been associated with infections, blood clots, device fractures, and migration within the body. In some cases, these complications have resulted in permanent injury or death.
Are There Ongoing Implanted Port Lawsuits in 2026?
Yes, multiple implanted port lawsuits remain active in 2026. Litigation involving manufacturers such as Bard Access Systems Inc. and AngioDynamics continues to accept new claims under existing class action or mass tort frameworks.
How Is Medical Device Litigation Different From Medical Malpractice?
Medical device litigation generally focuses on defects in product design, manufacturing, or warnings provided by the manufacturer. Medical malpractice, by contrast, involves alleged negligence by a healthcare professional during treatment or diagnosis.
What Is a Class Action or Mass Tort Lawsuit?
A class action or mass tort lawsuit allows many individuals with similar claims to pursue legal action collectively. Instead of trying every case separately, representative claims move forward while other cases remain part of the broader group.
How Can Dickerson Oxton Assist With Implanted Port Litigation?
The team at Dickerson Oxton works to ensure clients understand their rights and potential legal paths related to implanted port and medical device claims. Consider visiting with an experienced attorney at Dickerson Oxton to learn more about available legal options and the structure of ongoing mass tort litigation.