XML 32 R16.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.24.4

Commitments and Contingencies | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and Contingencies | COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Commitments As of December 31, 2024, the Company’s commitments include an estimated amount of approximately $2.12 billion relating to the Company’s open purchase orders and contractual obligations that occur in the ordinary course of business, including commitments with contract manufacturers and suppliers for which the Company has not received the goods or services, commitments for capital expenditures and construction-related activities for which the Company has not received the services, and acquisition and licensing of intellectual property. Although open purchase orders are considered enforceable and legally binding, the terms generally allow the Company the option to cancel, reschedule, and adjust its requirements based on its business needs prior to the delivery of goods or performance of services. Additionally, the Company has committed to making certain future milestone payments to third parties as part of licensing, collaboration, and development arrangements. Payments under these arrangements generally become due and payable only upon the achievement of certain specified developmental, regulatory, and/or commercial milestones. For instances in which the achievement of these milestones is neither probable nor reasonably estimable, such contingencies are not included in the estimated amount. Contingencies From time to time, the Company is involved in a variety of claims, lawsuits, investigations, and proceedings relating to securities laws, product liability, intellectual property, commercial, insurance, contract disputes, employment, and other matters. Certain of these lawsuits and claims are described in further detail below. It is not possible to predict what the outcome of these matters will be, and the Company cannot guarantee that any resolution will be reached on commercially reasonable terms, if at all. A liability and related charge to earnings are recorded in the Consolidated Financial Statements for legal contingencies when the loss is considered probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated. The assessment is re-evaluated each accounting period and is based on all available information, including the impact of negotiations, settlements, rulings, advice of legal counsel, and other information and events pertaining to each case. Nevertheless, it is possible that additional future legal costs (including settlements, judgments, legal fees, and other related defense costs) could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, or future results of operations. The Company incurred $21.2 million and $28.1 million of pre-tax litigation charges in 2024 and 2022, respectively. During the year ended 2023, pre-tax litigation charges were insignificant. Product Liability Litigation The Company is currently named as a defendant in a number of individual product liability lawsuits filed in various state and federal courts. The plaintiffs generally allege that they or a family member underwent surgical procedures that utilized the da Vinci surgical system and sustained a variety of personal injuries and, in some cases, death as a result of such surgery. Several of the filed cases have trial dates in the next 12 months. The cases raise a variety of allegations including, to varying degrees, that plaintiffs’ injuries resulted from purported defects in the da Vinci surgical system and/or failure on the Company’s part to provide adequate training resources to the healthcare professionals who performed plaintiffs’ surgeries. The cases further allege that the Company failed to adequately disclose and/or misrepresented the potential risks and/or benefits of the da Vinci surgical system. Plaintiffs also assert a variety of causes of action, including, for example, strict liability based on purported design defects, negligence, fraud, breach of express and implied warranties, unjust enrichment, and loss of consortium. Plaintiffs seek recovery for alleged personal injuries and, in many cases, punitive damages. The Company disputes these allegations and is defending against these claims. The Company’s estimate of the anticipated cost of resolving the pending cases is based on negotiations with attorneys for the claimants. The final outcome of the pending lawsuits and claims, and others that might arise, is dependent on many variables that are difficult to predict, and the ultimate cost associated with these product liability lawsuits and claims may be materially different than the amount of the current estimate and accruals and could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, or future results of operations. Although there is a reasonable possibility that a loss in excess of the amount recognized exists, the Company is unable to estimate the possible loss or range of loss in excess of the amount recognized at this time. Patent Litigation On October 19, 2022, a jury rendered a verdict against the Company awarding $10 million in damages to Rex Medical, L.P. in a patent infringement lawsuit. On September 20, 2023, the court granted the Company’s post-trial motion and reduced the damages to Rex Medical L.P. to nominal damages of $1. On October 18, 2023, Rex Medical filed a notice of appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and, on October 31, 2023, Intuitive filed its notice of cross appeal. The parties have completed briefing before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Based on currently available information, the Company does not believe that any losses arising from this matter would be material. Commercial Litigation On May 10, 2021, Surgical Instrument Service Company, Inc. (“SIS”) filed a complaint in the Northern District of California Court alleging antitrust claims against the Company relating to EndoWrist service, maintenance, and repair processes. The Court granted in part and denied in part the Company’s Motion to Dismiss, and discovery has commenced. The Company filed an answer denying the antitrust allegations and filed counterclaims against SIS. The counterclaims allege that SIS violated the Federal Lanham Act, California’s Unfair Competition Law, and California’s False Advertising Law and that SIS is also liable to the Company for Unfair Competition and Tortious Interference with Contract. The parties filed summary judgment and Daubert motions, and the Court held a hearing on these motions on September 7, 2023. On March 31, 2024, the Court granted-in-part and denied-in-part both Intuitive’s and plaintiff’s motions for summary judgment, and issued additional rulings related to expert witnesses. Trial in this matter commenced on January 6, 2025. On January 28, 2025, after the close of both plaintiff’s and Intuitive’s cases in chief, the Court found in Intuitive’s favor on all of SIS’s antitrust claims and stayed Intuitive’s counterclaims. Based on currently available information, the Company is unable to make a reasonable estimate of loss or range of losses, if any, arising from this matter. Three class action complaints were filed against the Company in the Northern District of California Court alleging antitrust allegations relating to the service and repair of certain instruments manufactured by the Company. A complaint by Larkin Community Hospital was filed on May 20, 2021, a complaint by Franciscan Alliance, Inc. and King County Public Hospital District No. 1 was filed on July 6, 2021, and a complaint by Kaleida Health was filed on July 8, 2021. The Court has consolidated the Franciscan Alliance, Inc. and King County Public Hospital District No. 1 and Kaleida Health cases with the Larkin Community Hospital case, which is now captioned on the Larkin docket as “In Re: da Vinci Surgical Robot Antitrust Litigation.” A Consolidated Amended Class Action Complaint has been filed on behalf of each plaintiff named in the earlier-filed cases. On January 14, 2022, Kaleida Health voluntarily dismissed itself as a party to this case. On January 18, 2022, the Company filed an answer against the plaintiffs in this matter, and discovery has commenced. With regard to this class action case, on September 7, 2023, the Court heard argument on the parties’ respective motions for summary judgment and motions related to expert testimony. On March 31, 2024, the Court granted-in-part and denied-in-part plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment on certain market definition issues, and denied Intuitive’s motion on the antitrust claims. In denying Intuitive’s motion, the Court declined to decide whether third-party companies were required to obtain 510(k) clearance for their services with respect to EndoWrist instruments, and in the absence of a formal ruling from the FDA on that question denied Intuitive’s motion for summary judgment challenging plaintiffs’ standing on that ground. There were additional rulings on the expert witness issues as well. In the summary judgment order, the Court ruled with plaintiffs that the da Vinci robot and EndoWrist instruments occupy separate product markets for antitrust purposes. The Court also ruled that there is an antitrust aftermarket for the repair and replacement of EndoWrist instruments, and that Intuitive holds monopoly power in that aftermarket. The Court denied summary judgment for plaintiffs on the issue of whether soft-tissue surgical robots constitute a relevant antitrust market or are part of a larger market that includes laparoscopic and open surgery for antitrust purposes. On July 30, 2024, the Court granted Intuitive’s motion for reconsideration, vacating those portions of the Court’s March 31, 2024 Order granting summary judgment as to the definition of a U.S. market for EndoWrist instrument repair and replacement and Intuitive’s market power in such a market. On January 23, 2025, the Court held a hearing on plaintiff’s motion for class certification, on which the Court has not yet issued a ruling. Based on currently available information, the Company is unable to make a reasonable estimate of loss or range of losses, if any, arising from this matter, and no trial date has been set for this matter at this time. On September 18, 2024, Restore Robotics Repairs (“Restore”) filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida alleging antitrust claims against the Company relating to the service and replacement of X/Xi EndoWrist instruments for use with the da Vinci X and Xi surgical systems. On December 9, 2024, Intuitive filed a motion to dismiss to which plaintiff responded by amending its complaint. Intuitive’s response to plaintiff’s first amended complaint is due to be filed on or before January 31, 2025. Based on currently available information, the Company is unable to make a reasonable estimate of loss or range of losses, if any, arising from this matter.

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The entire disclosure for commitments and contingencies. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Topic 405 -SubTopic 30 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/405-30/tableOfContent Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 440 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482648/440-10-50-4 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Topic 450 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/450/tableOfContent Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 954 -SubTopic 440 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478522/954-440-50-1 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 440 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (c) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482648/440-10-50-4 Reference 6: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Topic 440 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/440/tableOfContent + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | dtr-types:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration