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LEGAL PROCEEDINGS | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS | LEGAL PROCEEDINGS On January 15, 2019, Boston Scientific Corporation and Edwards announced that the companies reached an agreement to settle all outstanding patent disputes between the companies, as well as providing that the parties will not litigate patent disputes related to current portfolios of transcatheter aortic valves, certain mitral valve repair devices, and left atrial appendage closure devices. Under the terms of the agreement, Edwards made a one-time payment to Boston Scientific of $180 million. No further royalties will be owed by either party under the agreement. The settlement covered all of the following historical matters between Boston Scientific Corporation and certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, “Boston Scientific”) and Edwards Lifesciences Corporation and certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, ‘Edwards Lifesciences”): (i) patent infringement actions in the district court in Düsseldorf, Germany against Edwards Lifesciences, filed on October 30, 2015 and February 26, 2016; (ii) patent infringement action against Edwards Lifesciences in the district court in Paris, France, filed on April 8, 2016; (iii), a patent infringement action against Boston Scientific in the United Kingdom in the High Court of Justice, Chancery Division, Patents Court, filed on November 2, 2015, and Boston Scientific’s counterclaims against Edwards Lifesciences; (iv) patent infringement action against Edwards Lifesciences in the same U.K. court, filed on July 30, 2018; (v) lawsuit against Boston Scientific in the district court in Munich, Germany, filed on June 16, 2017 and July 31, 2017 on patent co-ownership; (vi) a lawsuit in the district court in Düsseldorf, Germany for patent infringement against Boston Scientific, filed on November 23, 2015, (vii) a lawsuit against Edwards Lifesciences in the Federal District Court in the District of Delaware alleging patent infringement, filed on April 19, 2016, along with Edwards Lifesciences counterclaims, filed on June 9, 2016; (viii) a lawsuit against Edwards Lifesciences in the Federal District Court in the Central District of California alleging patent infringement, filed on April 19, 2016; (ix) a October 23, 2016 lawsuit against Boston Scientific and LivaNova PLC and LivaNova Canada Corp., its contract manufacturers, in the Federal Court in Toronto, Canada, alleging patent infringement, and on February 17, 2017, also against Neovasc, Inc. and Neovasc Medical Inc.; (x) a January 11, 2017 lawsuit against Boston Scientific, in the High Court in Dublin, Ireland alleging patent infringement; (xi) a July 31, 2018 lawsuit in the district court in Düsseldorf, Germany against Edwards Lifesciences alleging patent infringement; and (xii) a August 22, 2018 lawsuit against Boston Scientific in the Federal District Court in the District of Delaware alleging patent infringement. On January 28, 2019, Abbott Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. and Evalve, Inc., both subsidiaries of Abbott Laboratories (collectively "Abbott") filed a lawsuit against Edwards Lifesciences Corporation and Edwards Lifesciences, LLC, (“Edwards”) in the Federal District Court in the District of Delaware alleging that the Edwards PASCAL heart valve repair system infringes certain claims of Abbott’s U.S. Patent Nos. 7,288,097, 6,752,813, 7,563,267, 7,736,388, and 8,057,493, seeking unspecified monetary damages and preliminary and permanent injunctive relief. On January 28, 2019, Abbott and its Abbott Medical UK Limited subsidiary filed a lawsuit in the United Kingdom in the High Court of Justice, Chancery Division, Patents Court, against Edwards Lifesciences Limited, alleging that the Edwards PASCAL heart valve repair system infringes certain claims of Abbott’s UK national patents arising from EP 1 624 810 B1 and EP 1 408 850 B1. On January 28, 2019, Abbott Medical GmbH filed a lawsuit in the district court in Düsseldorf, Germany against Edwards Lifesciences Corporation and its German subsidiary, Edwards Lifesciences Services GmbH, alleging that the Edwards PASCAL heart valve repair system infringes certain claims of Abbott’s German national patents arising from these same European patents. On or about January 28, 2019, Abbott and Abbott Medical AG filed a lawsuit in the Federal Patent Court in St. Gallen, Switzerland against Edwards Lifesciences AG, Edwards Lifesciences Technology Sàrl, Edwards Lifesciences IPRM AG, and Mitral Valve Technologies Sàrl, alleging a patent infringement relating to the Edwards PASCAL heart valve repair system. The Company intends to defend itself vigorously in these matters. In addition, Edwards Lifesciences is or may be a party to, or may otherwise be responsible for, pending or threatened lawsuits related primarily to products and services currently or formerly manufactured or performed, as applicable, by Edwards Lifesciences (the "Other Lawsuits"). The Other Lawsuits raise difficult and complex factual and legal issues and are subject to many uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the facts and circumstances of each particular case or claim, the jurisdiction in which each suit is brought, and differences in applicable law. Management does not believe that any charge relating to the Other Lawsuits would have a material adverse effect on Edwards Lifesciences’ overall financial position, results of operations, or liquidity. However, the resolution of one or more of the Other Lawsuits in any reporting period, could have a material adverse impact on Edwards Lifesciences' net income or cash flows for that period. The Company is not able to estimate the amount or range of any loss for legal contingencies for which there is no reserve or additional loss for matters already reserved. Edwards Lifesciences is subject to various environmental laws and regulations both within and outside of the United States. The operations of Edwards Lifesciences, like those of other medical device companies, involve the use of substances regulated under environmental laws, primarily in manufacturing and sterilization processes. While it is difficult to quantify the potential impact of continuing compliance with environmental protection laws, management believes that such compliance will not have a material impact on Edwards Lifesciences' financial position, results of operations, or liquidity.

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