Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP is pleased to announce that on Friday, October 7, a jury in Beaumont, Texas rendered a unanimous verdict in favor of the firm’s client, Applied Medical of Rancho Santa Margarita, California. In the case, Covidien companies United States Surgical Corp. and Tyco Healthcare Group, LP claimed that Applied infringed four patents pertaining to trocars (a medical device used in laparoscopic surgery). A few days before trial, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas declared two of the patents invalid. The jury’s verdict found that Applied did not infringe the remaining two patents and further found that those patents were also invalid.
Heading into this September 2011 trial, the Covidien companies alleged that Applied’s infringement caused them $112 million in damages. They also sought treble damages for alleged willful infringement and an injunction to prevent Applied from selling much of its trocar line. The complete victory ensures that Applied will be able to continue to serve its customers as one of the nation’s leading suppliers of trocars.
Throughout this long-running dispute, Applied was represented by Knobbe Martens lead counsel Joseph Re, as well as Knobbe Martens partners Karen Weil, Joseph Jennings, Sean Murray and Matthew Bellinger.
“The Knobbe Martens team is elated that justice was truly done in this matter,” said Joseph Re after the trial. “What a pleasure it was for us to represent such a fine company like Applied with such an important mission: to make better healthcare products for less so we all pay less.”
About Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear
With over 275 lawyers and scientists nationwide, Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP dedicates its practice to all aspects of intellectual property law including litigation. Consistently ranked among the top intellectual property firms worldwide, Knobbe Martens serves a diverse group of clients from multinational corporations to emerging businesses of all stages. Headquartered in Orange County, California, Knobbe Martens has additional offices in San Diego, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Seattle and Washington, D.C. More information about the firm can be found at www.knobbe.com
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