Bard PowerPort

The first Bard PowerPort bellwether trial concluded in May 2026 with a defense verdict on failure-to-warn and consumer fraud claims, but the jury deadlocked on the central design-defect question. MDL 3081, In re: Bard Implanted Port Catheter Products Liability Litigation, pending before Judge David G. Campbell in the District of Arizona, now exceeds 3,300 cases. Five additional bellwether trials are scheduled through February 2027, including an August 18, 2026 fracture case that will test the barium-sulfate degradation theory.

MDL 3081 is in active bellwether phase before Judge David G. Campbell in the District of Arizona. The first bellwether trial (Cook v. Becton Dickinson) concluded May 11, 2026 with a defense verdict on failure-to-warn and consumer-fraud claims; the jury hung on design defect. The second bellwether trial, the first to test catheter-fracture theory, is scheduled for August 18, 2026. Four additional bellwethers are calendared through February 2027.

No single national filing deadline; state SOLs range from 1 year (Tennessee) to 3 years. Most states: 2 years from injury discovery. Florida's 2024 reduction to 2 years and Tennessee's 1-year window create urgent intake priorities. MDL 3081 accepts cases from all 50 states; 3,700+ federal filings as of August 2026.

• Arizona

  MDL 3081, In re: Bard Implanted Port Catheter Products Liability Litigation, centralized in D. Ariz. before Judge David G. Campbell. As of July 2026 JPML report, 3,560 cases pending; 1,000+ added since January 2026. First bellwether trial (infection claim) ended May 2026 with partial defense verdict; second bellwether (first fracture claim) scheduled August 18, 2026; additional trials set for October 13, December 1, 2026, and February 2, 2027.

• Florida

  Two-year statute of limitations effective 2024 (reduced from four years). SOL window shortened for claims with injury dates predating statutory change; intake teams must verify discovery date and legislative effective date for each claimant.

• Tennessee

  One-year statute of limitations — shortest window among major states. Claims with injury discovery in 2025 or earlier may already be time-barred; immediate medical record review required.

• Texas

  Two-year statute of limitations from injury discovery. Strict deadline; claims with 2023 injury dates at risk of expiration absent tolling.

• California

  Two-year statute of limitations from date of injury discovery.

• Pennsylvania

  Two-year statute of limitations from injury date.

• Illinois

  Two-year statute of limitations from discovery of injury.

• Ohio

  Two-year product liability statute of limitations.

• New York

  Three-year statute of limitations from date of injury — longer window than most states.

• National — Oncology Centers

  Device distributed to hospitals and clinics nationwide; oncology patients constitute largest user group. FDA device-complaint data shows 2,100+ fracture reports for PowerPort devices as of mid-2026. Independent case series report fracture rates of 1.1%–5.0% of placements; one audit found 1.6% fracture-and-embolization rate with 8 of 11 fragments traveling to pulmonary arteries.

MDL 3081 before Judge David Campbell in D. Ariz. has 2,694+ cases as of January 6, 2026. First bellwether trial scheduled April 21, 2026. Sources indicate 2-3 year SOL typical for most states; Florida provides 4 years. No federal preemption found; 510(k) clearance does not preempt state law claims. No tolling agreement cited in sources. Intake must verify: (1) Bard PowerPort model implanted, (2) date of implantation, (3) date of first complication/symptom, (4) date of diagnosis linking injury to device. Primary injuries: fracture, migration, infection, thrombosis, vascular injury, embolism.