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Contingencies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2013
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Contingencies |
17. | Contingencies
The Company is party to outstanding legal proceedings, investigations and claims as described below. The Company believes that it is unlikely that the outcome of each of these matters, including the matters discussed below, will have a material adverse effect on it and its subsidiaries as a whole, notwithstanding that the unfavorable resolution of any matter may have a material effect on the Company’s net earnings (if any) in any particular quarter. However, the Company cannot predict with any certainty the final outcome of any legal proceedings, investigations (including any settlement discussions with the government seeking to resolve such investigations) or claims made against it as described in the paragraphs below, and there can be no assurance that the ultimate resolution of any such matter will not have a material adverse impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. The Company records accruals for certain outstanding legal proceedings, investigations or claims when it is probable that a liability will be incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. The Company evaluates, on a quarterly basis, developments in legal proceedings, investigations and claims that could affect the amount of any accrual, as well as any developments that would make a loss contingency both probable and reasonably estimable. When a loss contingency is not both probable and reasonably estimable, the Company does not accrue the loss. However, if the loss (or an additional loss in excess of the accrual) is at least a reasonable possibility and material, then the Company discloses a reasonable estimate of the possible loss or range of loss, if such reasonable estimate can be made. If the Company cannot make a reasonable estimate of the possible loss, or range of loss, then that is disclosed. The assessments of whether a loss is probable or a reasonable possibility, and whether the loss or range of loss is reasonably estimable, often involve a series of complex judgments about future events. Among the factors that the Company considers in this assessment are the nature of existing legal proceedings, investigations and claims, the asserted or possible damages or loss contingency (if reasonably estimable), the progress of the matter, existing law and precedent, the opinions or views of legal counsel and other advisers, the involvement of the U.S. Government and its agencies in such proceedings, the Company’s experience in similar matters and the experience of other companies, the facts available to the Company at the time of assessment, and how the Company intends to respond, or has responded, to the proceeding, investigation or claim. The Company’s assessment of these factors may change over time as individual proceedings, investigations or claims progress. For matters where the Company is not currently able to reasonably estimate the range of reasonably possible loss, the factors that have contributed to this determination include the following: (i) the damages sought are indeterminate, or an investigation has not manifested itself in a filed civil or criminal complaint, (ii) the matters are in the early stages, (iii) the matters involve novel or unsettled legal theories or a large or uncertain number of actual or potential cases or parties, and/or (iv) discussions with the government or other parties in matters that may be expected ultimately to be resolved through negotiation and settlement have not reached the point where the Company believes a reasonable estimate of loss, or range of loss, can be made. In such instances, the Company believes that there is considerable uncertainty regarding the timing or ultimate resolution of such matters, including a possible eventual loss, fine, penalty or business impact, if any. In addition, the Company does not accrue for estimated legal fees and other directly related costs as they are expensed as incurred. In addition to the matters described in the paragraphs below, in the normal course of its business, the Company is involved in various lawsuits from time to time and may be subject to certain other contingencies. To the extent losses related to these contingencies are both probable and reasonably estimable, the Company accrues appropriate amounts in the accompanying financial statements and provides disclosures as to the possible range of loss in excess of the amount accrued, if such range is reasonably estimable. The Company believes losses are individually and collectively immaterial as to a possible loss and range of loss. Matters Related to the Audit Committee’s Review and the Restatement of Certain of our Consolidated Financial Statements. Audit Committee Review In July 2013, our Audit Committee began conducting an independent review, with the assistance of outside professionals, of certain accounting matters. This review resulted in the decision to restate certain of our previously filed consolidated financial statements, as reflected in the Original Restatement. As a result of this review and the Original Restatement, the filing of our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended June 30, 2013 and September 30, 2013, and the Original Form 10-K, was not timely. We filed our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2013 on March 24, 2014, and filed our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2013 on March 25, 2014. We filed the Original Form 10-K on March 31, 2014. As further described in the explanatory note to this Form 10-K/A, this report also reflects a further restatement of our consolidated financial statements, which we refer to herein as the “Further Restatement.” SEC Investigation In connection with the initiation of the Audit Committee’s independent review, we initiated contact with the staff of the Division of Enforcement of the SEC (the “SEC Enforcement Staff”) in July 2013 to advise them of these matters. The Audit Committee and the Company, through respective counsel, have been in direct communication with the SEC Enforcement Staff regarding these matters. The SEC is conducting a formal investigation of these matters, and both the Company and the Audit Committee are cooperating fully with the SEC. In connection with the above-referenced communications, the Company has received requests from the SEC for documents and other information concerning various accounting practices, internal controls and business practices, and other related matters. Such requests cover the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2012, and in some instances, prior periods. It is anticipated that we may receive additional requests from the SEC in the future, including with respect to the Further Restatement. We have previously provided notice concerning our communications with the SEC to the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS-OIG”) pursuant to our corporate integrity agreement with HHS-OIG (which agreement is described below in this Item 3). We cannot predict if, when or how this matter will be resolved or what, if any, actions we may be required to take as part of any resolution of these matters. Any action by the SEC, HHS-OIG or other governmental agency could result in civil or criminal sanctions against us and/or certain of our current and former officers, directors and employees. At this stage in the matter, we cannot reasonably estimate the possible loss, or range of loss, in connection with it. Securities Class Action Complaint On August 14, 2013, a securities class action complaint against the Company, currently styled Tejinder Singh v. Orthofix International N.V., et al. (No.:1:13-cv-05696-JGK), was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York arising out of the then anticipated restatement of our prior financial statements and the matters described above. Since the date or original filing, the complaint has been amended. The lead plaintiff’s complaint, as amended, purports to bring claims on behalf of persons who purchased the Company’s common stock between March 2, 2010 and July 29, 2013. The complaint asserts that the Company and four of its former executive officers, Alan W. Milinazzo, Robert S. Vaters, Brian McCollum, and Emily V. Buxton (collectively, the “Individual Defendants”), violated Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 10b-5 (“Rule 10b-5”) by making false or misleading statements in or relating to the Company’s financial statements. The complaint further asserts that the Individual Defendants were liable as control persons under Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act for any violation by the Company of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act or Rule 10b-5. As relief, the complaint requests compensatory damages on behalf of the proposed class and lead plaintiff’s attorneys’ fees and costs. On March 6, 2015, the court granted the defendants’ motion to dismiss as to Mr. Milinazzo and denied it with respect to the Company and the other Individual Defendants. This matter remains at an early stage and, as of the date of this Form 10-K/A, we cannot reasonably estimate the possible loss, or range of loss, in connection with it. Matters Related to Promeca On July 10, 2012, the Company entered into definitive agreements with the DOJ and the SEC agreeing to settle its self-initiated and self-reported internal investigation of our Mexican subsidiary, Promeca S.A. de C.V. (“Promeca”), regarding non-compliance by Promeca with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the “FCPA”). Under the terms of these agreements, the Company voluntarily disgorged profits to the United States government in an amount of $5.2 million, inclusive of pre-judgment interest, and agreed to pay a fine of $2.2 million. The Company paid $2.2 million in July 2012 and $5.2 million in September 2012. As part of the settlement, the Company entered into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement (“DPA”) with the DOJ and a consent to final judgment (the “Consent”) with the SEC. The DOJ has agreed not to pursue any criminal charges against the Company in connection with this matter if the Company complied with the terms of the DPA. The DPA takes note of the Company’s self-reporting of this matter to DOJ and the SEC, and of remedial measures, including the implementation of an enhanced compliance program, previously undertaken by the Company. The DPA and the Consent collectively require, among other things, that with respect to anti-bribery compliance matters the Company shall continue to cooperate fully with the government in any future matters related to corrupt payments, false books and records or inadequate internal controls. In that regard, the Company has represented that it has implemented and will continue to implement a compliance and ethics program designed to prevent and detect violations of the FCPA and other applicable anti-corruption laws. The Company will periodically report to the government during the term of the DPA regarding such remediation and implementation of compliance measures. As part of the settlement, the Company also agreed pursuant to the Consent to certain reporting obligations to the SEC regarding the status of the Company’s remediation and implementation of compliance measures. In the event that the Company fails to comply with these obligations, it could be subject to criminal prosecution by the DOJ for the FCPA-related matters we self-reported. Review of Potential Improper Payments Involving Brazil Subsidiary In August 2013, the Company’s internal legal department was notified of certain allegations involving potential improper payments with respect to its Brazilian subsidiary, Orthofix do Brasil. The Company engaged outside counsel to assist in the review of these matters, focusing on compliance with applicable anti-bribery laws, including the FCPA. This review remains ongoing. The FCPA and related provisions of law provide for potential criminal and civil sanctions in connection with anti-bribery violations, including criminal fines, civil penalties, disgorgement of past profits and other kinds of remedies. The Company currently cannot reasonably estimate a possible loss, or range of loss, in connection with this review. Consistent with the provisions of the DPA and the Consent described above, the Company contacted the DOJ and the SEC in August 2013 to voluntarily self-report the Brazil-related allegations, and the Company and its counsel remain in contact with both agencies regarding the status of the review. In the event that the DOJ and the SEC find that the matters related to the Company’s Brazilian subsidiary could give rise to a review of the Company’s obligations under the terms of the DPA and/or the Consent, the Company currently cannot reasonably estimate a possible loss, or range of loss, in connection with that review, including any effects it may have with respect to the DPA and the Consent. Corporate Integrity Agreement with HHS-OIG As previously disclosed, on June 6, 2012, the Company entered into a definitive settlement agreement with the United States of America, acting through the DOJ and on behalf of HHS-OIG; the TRICARE Management Activity, through its General Counsel; the Office of Personnel Management, in its capacity as administrator of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program; the United States Department of Veteran Affairs; and the qui tam relator, pursuant to which the Company agreed to pay $34.2 million (plus interest at a rate of 3% from May 5, 2011 through the day before payment was made) to settle criminal and civil matters related to the promotion and marketing of the Company’s regenerative stimulator devices (which the Company has also described in the past as its “bone growth stimulator devices”). In connection with such settlement agreement, Orthofix Inc., the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary, also pled guilty to one felony count of obstruction of a June 2008 federal audit (§18 U.S.C. 1516) and paid a criminal fine of $7.8 million and a mandatory special assessment of $400. Also as previously disclosed, on October 29, 2012, the Company, through Blackstone, entered into a definitive settlement agreement with the U.S. government and the qui tam relator, pursuant to which the Company paid $32 million to settle claims (covering a period prior to Blackstone’s acquisition by the Company) concerning the compensation of physician consultants and related matters. All of the $32 million we paid pursuant to such settlement was funded by proceeds the Company received from an escrow fund established in connection with its acquisition of Blackstone in 2006. On June 6, 2012, in connection with these settlements, the Company also entered into a five-year corporate integrity agreement with HHS-OIG (the “CIA”). The CIA acknowledges the existence of the Company’s current compliance program and requires that the Company continues to maintain during the term of the CIA a compliance program designed to promote compliance with federal healthcare and FDA requirements. The Company also is required to maintain several elements of its previously existing program during the term of the CIA, including maintaining a Chief Compliance Officer, a Compliance Committee, and a Code of Conduct. The CIA requires that we conduct certain additional compliance-related activities during the term of the CIA, including various training and monitoring procedures, and maintaining a disciplinary process for compliance obligations. Pursuant to the CIA, the Company is required to notify the HHS-OIG in writing, among other things, of: (i) any ongoing government investigation or legal proceeding involving an allegation that the Company has committed a crime or has engaged in fraudulent activities; (ii) any other matter that a reasonable person would consider a probable violation of applicable criminal, civil, or administrative laws related to compliance with federal healthcare programs or FDA requirements; and (iii) any change in location, sale, closing, purchase, or establishment of a new business unit or location related to items or services that may be reimbursed by federal healthcare programs. The Company is also subject to periodic reporting and certification requirements attesting that the provisions of the CIA are being implemented and followed, as well as certain document and record retention mandates. The CIA provides that in the event of an uncured material breach of the CIA, the Company could be excluded from participation in federal healthcare programs and/or subject to monetary penalties. Matters Related to the Company’s Former Breg Subsidiary and Possible Indemnification Obligations On May 24, 2012, the Company sold Breg to an affiliate of Water Street Healthcare Partners II, L.P. (“Water Street”) pursuant to a stock purchase agreement (the “Breg SPA”). Under the terms of the Breg SPA, upon closing of the sale, the Company and its subsidiary, Orthofix Holdings, Inc., agreed to indemnify Water Street and Breg with respect to certain specified matters, including (i) the government investigation and product liability matters regarding the previously owned infusion pump product line described below, and (ii) pre-closing sales of cold therapy units and certain post-closing sales of cold therapy units. The Company has established an accrual of $4.2 million for its indemnification obligations in connection with the July 2012 verdict described in the third paragraph below; however, actual liability in this case could be higher or lower than the amount accrued. The Company has not established any accrual in connection with its other indemnification obligations under the Breg SPA, and currently cannot reasonably estimate the possible loss, or range of loss, in connection with certain of such obligations (including with respect to the matters described in the three paragraphs below). Breg was engaged in the manufacturing and sale of local infusion pumps for pain management from 1999 to 2008. Since 2008, numerous product liability cases have been filed in the United States alleging that the local anesthetic, when dispensed by such infusion pumps inside a joint, causes a rare arthritic condition called “chondrolysis.” The Company incurred losses for settlements and judgments in connection with these matters during 2011, 2012 and 2013 for $1.8 million, $6.8 million and $6.7 million, respectively. The Company has also accrued $2.1 million for judgements and settlements in connection with these matters that were not covered by insurance. Since December 31, 2013, the Company has accrued an additional $3.8 million and paid $4.6 million in connection with these matters that were not covered by insurance. In addition, several cases remain outstanding for which the Company currently cannot reasonably estimate the possible loss, or range of loss. On or about August 2, 2010, Breg received a HIPAA subpoena issued by the DOJ. The subpoena seeks documents from the Company and its subsidiaries for the period of January 1, 2000 through the date of the subpoena. The Company believes that document production in response to the subpoena was completed as of July 2012. It believes that this subpoena relates to an investigation by the DOJ into whether Breg’s sale, marketing and labeling of local infusion pumps for pain management, prior to Breg’s divestiture of this product line in 2008, complied with FDA regulations and federal law. The Company is currently cooperating with the U.S. government in connection with this matter. At the time of its divestiture by the Company, Breg was currently and had been engaged in the manufacturing and sales of motorized cold therapy units used to reduce pain and swelling. Several domestic product liability cases have been filed in recent years, mostly in California state court, alleging that the use of cold therapy causes skin and/or nerve injury and seeking damages on behalf of individual plaintiffs who were allegedly injured by such units. The majority of these cases are at an early stage and no conclusion can be drawn at the present time regarding their potential outcome. However, the Company believes that meritorious defenses exist to these claims. In July 2012, a jury in one case related to a motorized cold therapy unit previously sold by Breg returned a verdict providing for approximately $2.1 million in compensatory damages to the plaintiff against Breg and $7 million in exemplary damages. The case remains subject to appeal. The Company believes that the damages are without merit; however, the ultimate outcome is uncertain. The Company previously established an accrual and related charge to discontinued operations of $4.2 million for both compensatory damages and exemplary damages for its indemnification obligations in connection with this July 2012 verdict; however, actual liability in this case could be higher or lower than the amount accrued.

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