XML 42 R16.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.22.4
Contingencies and Commitments
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Contingencies and Commitments CONTINGENCIES AND COMMITMENTSWe are involved in various ongoing proceedings, legal actions and claims arising in the normal course of business, including proceedings related to product, labor, intellectual property and other matters, the most significant of which are more fully described below. The outcomes of these matters will generally not be known for prolonged periods of time. In certain of the legal proceedings the claimants seek damages as well as other compensatory and equitable relief that could result in the payment of significant claims and settlements and/or the imposition of injunctions or other equitable relief. For legal matters for which management had sufficient information to reasonably estimate our future obligations, a liability representing management's best estimate of the probable loss, or the minimum of the range of probable losses when a best estimate within the range is not known, is recorded. The estimates are based on consultation with legal counsel, previous settlement experience and settlement strategies. If actual outcomes are less favorable than those estimated by management, additional expense may be incurred, which could unfavorably affect future
operating results. We are self-insured for certain claims and expenses. The ultimate cost to us with respect to product liability claims could be materially different than the amount of the current estimates and accruals and could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.
In April 2022 the United States District Court for the District of Delaware issued a judgment following a jury verdict in favor of PureWick Corporation (PureWick) for its 2019 complaint seeking patent infringement damages related to our PrimaFit and PrimoFit products. The court awarded damages and we recorded charges of $28 in March 2022. In June 2022 PureWick filed a motion to seek enhancement of the judgment and if successful, the judgment could total approximately $100 and include an injunction against future sales. We intend to appeal the outcome of this case. In 2022 PureWick filed additional patent infringement claims related to our PrimaFit products.
Recall Matters
In June 2012 we voluntarily recalled our Rejuvenate and ABG II Modular-Neck hip stems and terminated global distribution of these hip products. Product liability lawsuits relating to this voluntary recall have been filed against us. In November 2014 we entered into a settlement agreement to compensate eligible United States patients who had revision surgery prior to November 3, 2014 and in December 2016 the settlement program was extended to patients who had revision surgery prior to December 19, 2016. In September 2020 we entered into a second settlement agreement to compensate eligible United States patients who had revision surgery prior to September 9, 2020. There are remaining lawsuits that we will continue to defend against.
In August 2016 and May 2018 we voluntarily recalled certain lot-specific sizes and offsets of LFIT Anatomic CoCr V40 Femoral Heads. Product liability lawsuits and claims relating to this voluntary recall have been filed against us. In November 2018 we entered into a settlement agreement to resolve a significant number of claims and lawsuits related to the recalls. In April 2022 we executed a second agreement to resolve a significant number of claims and lawsuits related to the recalls. The specific terms of the settlement agreement, including the financial terms, are confidential.
With the acquisition of Wright Medical Group N.V. (Wright) in November 2020, we are responsible for certain product liability claims, primarily related to certain hip products sold by Wright prior to its 2014 divestiture of the OrthoRecon business. We will continue to evaluate each claim and the possible loss we may incur.
We have incurred, and expect to incur in the future, costs associated with the defense and settlement of these matters. In 2022 we made payments of $157, primarily related to LFIT femoral heads and Wright hip products. Based on the information that has been received, we have estimated the remaining range of probable loss related to these recall matters to be approximately $213 to $347. We have recorded reserves representing the remaining minimum of the range of probable loss. The final outcomes of these matters are dependent on many factors that are difficult to predict. Accordingly, the ultimate cost related to these matters may be materially different than the amount of our current estimate and accruals and could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and cash flows.
Leases
We lease various manufacturing, warehousing and distribution facilities, administrative and sales offices as well as equipment
under operating leases. We evaluate our contracts to identify leases, which is generally if there is an identified asset and we have the right to direct the use of and obtain substantially all of the economic benefit from the use of the identified asset. Certain of our lease agreements contain rent escalation clauses (including index-based escalations), rent holidays, capital improvement funding or other lease incentives. We recognize our minimum rental expense on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease beginning with the date of initial control of the asset. Right-of-use assets are recorded in Other noncurrent assets on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Current and noncurrent lease liabilities are recorded in Accrued expenses and other liabilities and Other noncurrent liabilities, respectively.
We have made certain significant assumptions and judgments when recording leases. For all asset classes, we elected to not recognize a right-of-use asset and lease liability for short-term leases and not separate non-lease components from lease components to which they relate and have accounted for the combined lease and non-lease components as a single lease component. The determination of the discount rate used in a lease is our incremental borrowing rate which is based on what we would normally pay to borrow on a collateralized basis over a similar term an amount equal to the lease payments.
20222021
Right-of-use assets $473 $419 
Lease liabilities, current $121 $112 
Lease liabilities, noncurrent $357 $310 
Other information:
Weighted-average remaining lease term (years)5.55.4
Weighted-average discount rate3.22 %2.86 %
Operating lease expense totaled $149, $133, and $130 in 2022, 2021 and 2020.
Future Obligations
We have purchase commitments for materials, supplies, services and property, plant and equipment as part of the normal course of business. In addition, we lease various manufacturing, warehousing and distribution facilities, administrative and sales offices as well as equipment under operating leases. Refer to Note 10 for more information on the debt obligations.
20232024202520262027Thereafter
Debt repayments$1,208 $1,450 $2,250 $1,000 $750 $6,300 
Purchase obligations$1,595 $68 $53 $56 $59 $14 
Minimum lease payments$126 $96 $73 $54 $41 $76