Watchman Device Lawsuit: Complications and Who May Have a Claim

What the Device Is

The Watchman, made by Boston Scientific, is a left atrial appendage closure implant used to lower stroke risk in some patients with atrial fibrillation, as an alternative to long-term blood thinners. Like any implanted cardiac device, it carries procedural and long-term risks that are central to the litigation.

What the Lawsuits Allege

The lawsuits allege serious complications — including device migration, damage to heart structures, and injuries tied to the implantation procedure — and, in some cases, death. A federal judge declined to dismiss a wrongful-death case against Boston Scientific, allowing it to proceed. Regulators and reporting have described a substantial number of injury and death reports associated with the device and related components, and the company updated its instructions for use.

The device was also subject to an earlier recall of components after its 2015 approval. These are allegations and adverse-event reports; they are not, on their own, proof that the device caused a given patient’s outcome.

How These Device Claims Work

A medical-device claim generally turns on whether the device was defective in design or manufacture, or inadequately warned of, and on causation — connecting the device to a specific injury. That requires medical records and expert testimony, so these cases proceed individually rather than as a single consumer class. Federal preemption rules for approved devices also shape which claims can go forward.