Recall of AED 10 and MRL JumpStart external defibrillators

If your business owns a defibrillator take a look to see if it’s a “14,054 AED 10 and MRL JumpStart external defibrillators made between Oct. 3, 2002, and Jan. 25, 2007. They may not work correctly when called upon to shock a patient resulting in low-energy shocks. There have been 39 incidents reported resulting in two deaths. The company, Welch Allyn and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are having a recall of this model.  On the Welch Allyn website they provide a way for you to check the serial numbers on the unit you own to know if it’s affected by the recall.  

This is really a tough business we are in as litigators. Yeah I know no one wants to listen to a personal injury lawyer whine. But really it is. Think about this situation for a moment. You expect a defibrillator to work properly when you suffer a heart event requiring it’s use. And when it doesn’t and it’s predictable due to a defect in the equipment you expect the lawyer to sue the company. But the client may be dead due to what? Was it due to the defibrillator not working right or the heart event?

What came first the chicken or the egg? Well I guess it will all come down to the autopsy and what the medical examiner says was the actual heart event and how easily that condition is normally corrected. Follow the FDA link for further information.

Welch Allyn currently sells at least five different model defibrillators. The AED 10 is described below:

AED 10™ Defibrillator

Designed for easy operation and quick deployment by the infrequent user, the AED 10 is a simple, proven solution for quick and easy response to cardiac emergencies.

·                          Text and voice instructions guide the user through the rescue

·                          Color-coded pads and illustrations ensure proper pad placement

·                          Escalating energy (200 J, 300 J, 360 J); energy protocol can be changed to meet specific needs

·                          High-performance battery delivers up to 90 discharges at 360 joules

·                          Internal memory stores event data including ECG waveforms, time/date stamps, shock delivery and system actions

·                          Lightweight and compact—ideal for small spaces