Bard PowerPort claims: who can file and what to do in Florida

MDL 3081 (In re: Bard PowerPort) is administered by Chief Judge David G. Campbell in the District of Arizona. Florida cases originating in the Northern (Tallahassee/Pensacola), Middle (Tampa/Orlando/Jacksonville), or Southern (Miami/Fort Lauderdale/West Palm Beach) Districts of Florida are transferred to D. Ariz. for consolidated pretrial proceedings. Florida’s large and aging cancer patient population has generated substantial MDL 3081 participation.

Fla. Stat. § 95.11(3)(d) sets a 4-year limitations period for product-injury personal injury claims. Florida’s discovery rule tolls the period until the claimant knew or should have known of the injury and its cause. Florida also applies a 12-year statute of repose for products liability claims under Fla. Stat. § 95.031(2)(b), running from the date the device left the manufacturer’s possession.

Florida’s NCI-Designated Cancer Centers include Moffitt Cancer Center (Tampa), Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center (Miami), and Mayo Clinic Cancer Center (Jacksonville). Moffitt’s high-volume infusion program and extensive port-implantation practice make it a significant source of PowerPort recipients in MDL 3081 filings. Florida’s large Medicare-eligible population also means a disproportionate share of implanted port-a-cath patients for chemotherapy access.

Key federal venues for Florida PowerPort plaintiffs include the M.D. Fla. (Tampa Division) and S.D. Fla. (Miami Division), both of which transfer cases to MDL 3081. BD’s Bard Medical subsidiary markets and distributes PowerPort devices throughout Florida’s extensive hospital and outpatient oncology network. BD’s established Florida sales presence and distribution channels support personal jurisdiction in Florida state courts and in any federal venue prior to MDL transfer.