According to his lawsuit against Medtronic, Norwood Koepsel was implanted in February 2007 with a cardiac defibrillator that used a Sprint Fidelis lead wire. However, the lead wire failed within a few months, and Koepsel was forced to undergo additional surgery to have it replaced.

Koepsel’s Sprint Fidelis lawsuit against Medtronic alleges that the company failed to properly test the lead wires before they were placed on the market after signs of problems with the Sprint Fidelis leads began to emerge. According to the complaint, Medtronic failed to provide the Food and Drug Administration with complete information about cases of serious injury or death that had occurred among Sprint Fidelis users.

Koespel has asked the court to set up a treatment fund so that he can be monitored for future injuries arising from his Sprint Fidelis lead and the subsequent surgery to replace it.