A lawsuit contending that a Medtronic lead failed and caused the death of a local man has been filed in Federal Court in Indianapolis. The lawsuit states that the lead, which was supposed to carry electricity from the defibrillator to the heart, fractured and shorted out, thereby failing to get the necessary electricity to the heart and causing the death of the 48 year old man. The lawsuit further alleges that this model lead had a 37% failure rate and that Medtronic should have recommended that it be removed or capped off, or should have recalled the lead.

WKW attorney William E. Winingham filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Estate of David Malander, his wife, and children.