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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

NOTE 12 - COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

 

Pending and settled litigation

 

On December 17, 2019, a lawsuit was filed by a former officer and director, Jona Zumeris, in the Haifa Israel District Financial Court, seeking damages of approximately $900 for breach of the Separation Agreement executed on July 4, 2018. The Israeli court issued a court order demanding that we restrict approximately $700 of the Company’s money until the matter is adjudicated. The Company appealed the court order and in February 2020, the Company agreed to restrict approximately 1,187 NIS (“New Israeli Shekel”) and agreed to try to settle the matter in mediation. On November 30, 2020, the Company funded the escrow account with $391. In January 2021, the parties reached a settlement in which the Company paid the plaintiff approximately $366 as settlement in full.

 

On February 26, 2021, Protrade Systems, Inc. (“Protrade”) filed a Request for Arbitration (the “Request”) with the International Court of Arbitration (the “ICA”) of the International Chamber of Commerce alleging the Company is in breach of an Exclusive Distribution Agreement dated March 7, 2019 (the “Agreement”) between Protrade and the Company. Protrade alleges, in part, that the Company has breached the Agreement by discontinuing the manufacture of the DV0057 Painshield MD device in favor of an updated 10-100-001 Painshield MD device. Protrade claims damages estimated at $3 million. The Company vigorously defended the claims asserted by Protrade.

 

On March 15, 2022, the arbitrator issued a final award, which, although denied all Protrade’s claims, nevertheless awarded Protrade about $1.5 million, on the grounds that the Company allegedly failed to fulfill an order for reusable hydrogel patches placed after the Agreement was terminated. The arbitrator based her decision on the basis of testimony of Protrade’s president who asserted that a patient would use in excess of 33 reusable patches per each device, which the Company believes is a grossly inflated number.

 

On April 5, 2022, Protrade filed a Petition with the Supreme Court of New York Nassau County seeking to confirm the Award. On April 13, 2022, the Company submitted an application to the ICA seeking to correct an error in the award based on the evidence that the Company only sold 2-3 reusable patches per device contrary to the 33 reusable patches claimed by Protrade. The same arbitrator who issued the award, denied the application.

 

On July 22, 2022, the Company filed a cross-motion seeking to vacate arbitration award on the grounds that the arbitrator exceeded her authority, that the award was procured by fraud, and that the arbitrator failed to follow procedures established by New York law. In particular, the Company averred in its motion that Protrade’s witness made false statements in arbitration, and that the arbitrator resolved a claim that was never raised by Protrade and that has no factual basis.

 

 

On October 3, 2022, the court issued a decision granting Protrade its petition to confirm the Award and denying the cross-motion.

 

On November 9, 2022, the Company filed a motion to re-argue and renew its cross-motion to vacate the arbitration decision based on newel information that was not available during the initial hearing. On the same day, the Company also filed a notice of appeal with the Appellate Division, Second Department. On March 21, 2023, the Court denied the motion to re-argue and renew. The Company intends to file a notice of appeal with the Appellate Division, Second Department and to continue to vigorously pursue its opposition to the award in all appropriate fora.

 

Other Risks

 

On March 12, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic, and the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant financial market volatility and uncertainty. A continuation or worsening of the levels of market disruption and volatility seen in the recent past could have an adverse effect on our ability to access capital, on our business, results of operations and financial condition, and on the market price of our common shares.