Home > Bard PowerPort Catheter Lawsuit
Have You (or a Loved One) Suffered Deep Vein Thrombosis, Pulmonary Embolism, Blood Clot, Heart Attack, Stroke, Organ Damage, Infection (Sepsis) or Death From An Implantable Bard Port Catheter Device?
Bard PowerPort Catheter Lawsuits & Settlements
Reviewed by Jacobs Kolton, Chtd. Attorneys at Law; Updated June 2026
The Bard PowerPort catheter lawsuits involve claims that Bard failed to adequately warn patients and doctors that certain implanted port catheter devices may be prone to fracture, migration, cracking, leaking, degradation, infection and other possible complications including deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), blood clots, organ damage, stroke, heart attack, sepsis, septic shock, surgery to remove or retrieve the catheter or device fragments and/or death.
Our team of medical device injury lawyers and class action attorneys is investigating potential Bard port catheter lawsuit cases and settlement claims of individuals who suffered injuries or complications from a Bard PowerPort catheter or other port catheter implant device.
If you (or a loved one) suffered from deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism, blood clot, heart attack, stroke, organ damage, infection (sepsis) or death from a Bard PowerPort port catheter, you may be entitled to compensation from a Bard PowerPort lawsuit case or settlement claim.
Bard PowerPort catheter is a port catheter (i.e., totally implantable vascular access device TIVAD, implanted port catheter IPC, chemo port, or port-a-cath) that is surgically implanted under the skin in the chest, arm or abdomen of a patient to allow for repeated, direct and easy access to the circulatory system (i.e., bloodstream) for the delivery of medication, intravenous fluids, parenteral nutrition solutions, and blood products. Port catheters are typically used to treat patients suffering from chronic diseases such as cancer (i.e., chemo ports for chemotherapy), kidney failure, Crohn’s or inflammatory bowel disease/IBD.
Unfortunately, certain implantable port catheters may have high rates of device failure or malfunction, leading to potential breakage, cracking, fissuring, pitting, fracturing, leaking or migration of the port catheter which may increase the risk of life-threatening complications, including infection, blood clots, hemorrhage, cardiac arrhythmia, perforations of tissue, vessels and organs, vascular damage and organ damage and need for additional surgeries to remove the port catheter, among others.
Injured patients (and family members of victims who died) are now coming forward and filing Bard PowerPort Catheter lawsuits seeking compensation and justice for harm and suffering they may have endured after having a Bard Power Port catheter implanted.
Bard PowerPort Catheter Lawsuit: Overview
- What Is The Bard Port Catheter Lawsuit About?
- What Is A Bard PowerPort Catheter?
- What Are The Main Components of a Bard Port Catheter?
- Are Attorneys Investigating Bard Port Catheter Injury Cases?
- Who May Qualify For a Bard Catheter Lawsuit or Settlement?
- What Injuries May Be Linked To Bard PowerPort Catheters?
- What Happens If A Port Catheter Breaks or Becomes Dislodged?
- What Companies Have Been Sued in the Bard Catheter Litigation?
- Can I Recover Compensation From a Bard Catheter Lawsuit?
- Is There A Time Limit To File a Bard PowerPort Catheter Lawsuit?
- Request A Free Case Review From A Bard Catheter Injury Lawyer
Bard Port Catheter Injury Lawsuits and Settlements
Bard port catheter injury lawsuit cases and settlement claims potentially being investigated include claims of patients who had a Bard port catheter surgically implanted and subsequently suffered serious injuries or complications from the port catheter implant, including:
- Blood clots
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Pulmonary embolism (PE)
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Hemorrhage
- Bleeding injuries
- Cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)
- Cardiac tamponade (pericardial tamponade)
- Fluid buildup on the heart
- Sepsis (bloodstream infection)
- Septic shock
- Persistent/severe pain
- Perforation of tissues
- Perforation of blood vessels
- Perforation of organs
- Organ failure or dysfunction
- Necrosis (death of tissue)
- Death
- Catheter failure
- Need for surgery to remove port catheter
- Other port catheter injury or complication
If you or someone you love suffered injuries or complications relating to a Bard PowerPort Catheter, you may be eligible to recover compensation from a Bard PowerPort Catheter lawsuit or settlement case.
Who May Qualify for a Bard Port Catheter Lawsuit
Individuals may qualify for a Bard PowerPort Catheter injury lawsuit case or settlement claim if they (or a loved one):
- Had a Bard PowerPort Catheter Implanted: Had a Bard PowerPort catheter surgically implanted to provide repeated access to the vascular system for the delivery of medication and fluids.
- The Implant Cracked, Fractured, Migrated, Degraded or Leaked: After implantation, the port catheter weakened, cracked, degraded, fractured, migrated, leaked, became blocked, or otherwise malfunctioned, potentially causing serious complications.
- Suffered Injury or Death: Suffered complications or injury after implantation (preferably within 3 months to 3 years after implantation), including deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), blood clots, tissue or organ damage, vessel perforation, stroke, heart attack, sepsis, septic shock, surgery to remove or replace the catheter or device fragments and/or death.
Other criteria may apply in order to be eligible. Not all individuals or cases qualify for a Bard Power Port catheter lawsuit. Individuals may not qualify if: (1) medical factors or unclear timing make it difficult to link the injuries to a Bard PowerPort catheter; (2) they only had a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) rather than an implantable port catheter (IPC) device; (3) the claim is outside the statute of limitations or statute of repose period (if an individual waits too long they may be legally barred from suing); and/or (5) medical records do not support the claims. Individuals may not qualify for other reasons.
Bard PowerPort Lawsuit Complaints
Hundreds of individuals who have had Bard PowerPort catheters implanted in their bodies have filed lawsuits seeking to recover money damages for injuries suffered in connection with the catheters.
The Bard port catheter injury lawsuits allege, among other things, that the catheter component (i.e., the Chronoflex Catheter) of the Bard PowerPort was manufactured with a concentration of barium sulfate (an inorganic compound which is visible in certain radiologic contrast studies) that was too high, which allegedly can reduce the material integrity of the port catheter, potentially resulting in fracture, degradation, fissures, cracking or migration of the catheter tubing.
According to Bard port catheter lawsuit complaints, patients who had Bard PowerPort catheters surgically implanted may therefore be at an increased risk of suffering life threatening injuries, including but not limited to: hemorrhage, thromboembolism, infection/sepsis, cardiac arrhythmia, severe and persistent pain, and perforations of tissue, vessels and organs, or the need for surgery to remove the device.
Plaintiffs in the Bard PowerPort lawsuits further allege that Defendants knew or should have known that Bard PowerPort catheters had a substantially higher risk of fracture, migration, and/or perforation and resulting injury than other similar venous access devices, as well as a substantially higher risk of infection and a substantially higher risk of thrombosis, and that they failed to warn Plaintiffs of these health risks.
The Bard PowerPort lawsuits seek to recover compensatory damages, including past and future medical expenses, past and future pain and suffering, emotional distress, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and disability, disfigurement, past and future loss of consortium, past and future lost wages, including loss of earnings and loss of earning capacity, funeral and burial expenses and/or other consequential damages.
Companies Sued Over Bard Catheter Injuries
Defendants in the Bard catheter lawsuits have included designers, developers, researchers, manufacturers, licensors, testers, assemblers, packagers, labelers, promotors, marketers, sellers, suppliers and/or distributors of Bard PowerPort Catheters including:
- Becton, Dickinson & Co.
- C.R. Bard, Inc.
- Bard Access Systems, Inc.
- Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.
Bard Port Catheter Lawsuit and Settlement Updates
Updates about Bard catheter lawsuits and settlements include:
- May 2026: The Cook v. Bard bellwether trial was expected to run through May 8, 2026. Additional bellwether trials are scheduled throughout 2026 and early 2027. Bellwether trials are important because they may help both sides evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, and potential settlement value of similar claims. According to the U.S. Judicial Panel On Multidistrict Litigation, 3,187 Bard PowerPort catheter cases were pending in the federal Bard MDL litigation as of May 1, 2026.
- April 2026: The first Bard PowerPort bellwether trial began on April 21, 2026, in the U.S. District Court of Arizona. The case involves Robert Cook, who alleges that his Bard PowerPort catheter became infected, leading to hospitalization, delayed chemotherapy, and surgical removal of the device. Bard denies that the device was defective and argues that the infection was caused by how the catheter was handled during at-home treatment. Because this is the first trial in MDL No. 3081, the result may influence how both sides evaluate evidence, liability, causation, damages, and potential settlement discussions in other Bard PowerPort cases.
- February 2026: The Court entered an amended order regarding the Second Revised Master Short-Form Complaint in the Bard PowerPort MDL. Master and short-form complaints are commonly used in multidistrict litigation to help organize large numbers of individual claims while preserving case-specific allegations.
- November 2025: The Court issued a case-management order adjusting the bellwether trial schedule in MDL No. 3081. Bellwether scheduling orders help determine which representative cases may proceed first and can influence future settlement discussions or trial strategy.
- July 2025: The U.S. District Court of Arizona docket page listed several case-management orders and amended orders in MDL No. 3081, reflecting ongoing pretrial coordination, discovery procedures, and litigation management in the Bard implanted port catheter cases.
- August 2023: On August 8, 2023, Bard PowerPort port catheter injury lawsuits filed in federal district courts were consolidated and/or transferred into a multidistrict litigation or MDL for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings, styled as In re: Bard Implanted Port Catheter Products Liability Litigation, MDL Case No. 3081, U.S. Dist. Court for the Dist. of Arizona (Judge David G. Campbell). The United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation found that the Bard catheter lawsuits shared common questions of fact arising from allegations that defendants manufacture the catheter component of their port devices with a concentration of barium sulfate that is too high, which reduces the material integrity of the catheter, and can lead to injuries, including infection, fracture of the catheter, migration of the catheter, and thrombosis.
- 2023 and Earlier: Plaintiffs began filing Bard PowerPort lawsuits alleging that certain implanted port catheter devices were defectively designed or manufactured and that Bard failed to adequately warn patients and healthcare providers about risks of catheter fracture, migration, infection, thrombosis, perforation, and other complications.
Catheters Involved In The Bard PowerPort Litigation
Bard PowerPort lawsuit and settlement cases potentially being investigated include claims of individuals who suffered serious injuries or complications from a Bard PowerPort or other port catheter, including:
- BardPort M.R.I. Implantable Port
- BardPort M.R.I. Low-Profile Implantable Port
- BardPort Titanium Dome Implantable Port
- BardPort Titanium Implantable Port
- M.R.I. Plastic Dual Lumen Port
- M.R.I. Ultra SlimPort Implantable Port
- Peritoneal Titanium Port
- PowerFlow Implantable Apheresis IV Port
- PowerPort ClearVUE isp Implantable Port
- PowerPort ClearVUE Slim Implantable Port
- PowerPort duo M.R.I. Implantable Port
- PowerPort Implantable Port
- PowerPort isp Implantable Port
- PowerPort isp M.R.I. Implantable Port
- PowerPort M.R.I. Implantable Port
- PowerPort Slim Implantable Port
- PowerPort VUE M.R.I. Implantable Port
- PowerPort VUE Titanium Implantable Port
- SlimPort Dual-Lumen Rosenblatt Implantable Port
- Titanium Low-Profile Port
- Titanium SlimPort Implantable Port
- Vaccess CT Low-Profile Titanium Power-Injectable Port
- Vaccess CT Power-Injectable Implantable Port
- X-Port isp M.R.I. Implantable Port
- X-Port Low-Profile Titanium Port
- Other port catheter lawsuit cases
Bard Port Catheter Fracture, Migration, Perforation, Infection & Removal Surgery Cases
The Bard PowerPort consists of three main components: a PowerPort Implantable injection port (i.e., a small plastic/metal disc-shaped reservoir compartment), a septum (i.e., a raised center self-sealing silicone bubble for needle insertion) and a catheter (i.e., a thin, soft, flexible polyurethane/plastic tube that connects the port directly to a central vein that takes blood to the heart). When a special needle (PowerLoc) is placed in the septum, it creates “access” to the bloodstream.
If a port catheter becomes dislodged and moves to a different location in the body (catheter migration), it can potentially lead to organ damage, infection, obstruction of blood flow and catheter failure (i.e., catheter fails to provide intended treatment). If a port catheter breaks or fractures (catheter fracture), small pieces of plastic can travel throughout the body, potentially leading to damage to blood vessels, tissues and organs.
If the surface of a port catheter develops fissures, pits or cracks, it can potentially lead to the collection of microbes and/or fungi, increasing the risk of infection and sepsis (catheter infection). In some cases, surgery may be required to remove the port catheter or pieces of it.
Compensation For Bard Catheter Injury Claims
Plaintiffs who bring Bard catheter injury lawsuits may be able to recover compensation for the injuries suffered, including money damages for losses incurred, such as:
- Compensatory damages for pain and suffering
- Loss of wages or earnings due to missed work
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Medical care expenses incurred or to be incurred
- Other out of pocket expenses
- Loss of quality or enjoyment of life
- Mental anguish/emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
- Other possible monetary damages
Time Is Limited To File A Port Catheter Lawsuit
Deadlines called statutes of limitation and statutes of repose may limit the amount of time that individuals have to file a port catheter lawsuit to try to recover compensation for injuries they claimed to have suffered after having the port catheter implanted.
This means that if a port catheter lawsuit case is not filed before the applicable time limit or deadline, the claimant may be prohibited from ever pursuing litigation or taking legal action regarding the port catheter injury claim. That is why it is important to connect with a port catheter injury lawyer or attorney as soon as possible.
If you or a loved one were injured or suffered complications from a Bard port catheter, you may be entitled to recover compensation from a Bard port catheter lawsuit case or settlement claim. Contact a medical device injury lawyer to request a free case review.
*If you or a loved one are experiencing health issues, side effects or complications from a medical device or healthcare product, we urge you to promptly consult with your doctor or physician for an evaluation.
**The listing of a company (e.g., Becton, Dickinson & Co., C.R. Bard, Inc., Bard Access Systems, Inc. and Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc., etc.) or product (e.g., Bard PowerPort port catheter, etc.) is not meant to state or imply that the company acted illegally or improperly or that the product is unsafe or defective; rather only that an investigation may be, is or was being conducted to determine whether legal rights have been violated.
***The use of any trademarks, tradenames or service marks is solely for product identification and/or informational purposes.
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