Co-Lead Counsel: In re Bair Hugger Forced Air Warming Products Liability Litigation

On February 23, 2016, the Honorable Joan N. Ericksen of the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota appointed Ciresi Conlin as Co-Lead Counsel in In re Bair Hugger Forced Air Warming Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 15-2666-JNE-FLN (D. Minn). This multidistrict litigation consists of hundreds of product liability cases involving the Bair Hugger, a forced-air warming device designed and manufactured by 3M Company and Arizant Healthcare, Inc. Plaintiffs allege that they developed periprosthetic infections as a result of using the Bair Hugger. Plaintiffs further allege that 3M and Arizant knew of an increased risk of infection associated with the Bair Hugger during orthopedic surgeries but failed to redesign the product and to warn health care providers and patients of the infection risk.