Statute of Limitations
Texas has a 2-year statute of limitations for personal injury and products liability claims (CPRC § 16.003). The discovery rule applies to latent product defects — the clock starts when the plaintiff knew or reasonably should have known of the injury and its probable cause. Texas has a 15-year statute of repose for product liability claims (CPRC § 16.012). PowerPort cases are filed in the Southern District of Texas (Houston Division) or Western District and transferred to the MDL in Arizona.
2 years from discovery of injury (discovery rule applies; 15-year repose)
Where to File in Texas
MDL 3081 (In re: Bard PowerPort) is centralized in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona under Chief Judge David G. Campbell. Texas plaintiffs with cases filed in the Northern (Dallas/Fort Worth), Southern (Houston), Western (Austin/San Antonio), or Eastern (Tyler) Districts of Texas are transferred to Phoenix for coordinated pretrial proceedings. Texas ranks among the top three states for total MDL filings given its large cancer survivor population.
Texas applies a 2-year statute of limitations for personal injury and product liability claims under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003. The discovery rule tolls the limitations period in latent-injury device cases; the clock begins when the plaintiff first knew or should have known of the injury caused by the PowerPort catheter fracture. Texas courts have applied the discovery rule favorably in medical device litigation involving asymptomatic catheter degradation.
Texas hosts two NCI-Designated Cancer Centers — MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston) and Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center (Dallas) — as well as an expansive network of community oncology practices affiliated with Baylor Scott & White, HCA Healthcare, and Texas Oncology. MD Anderson’s chemotherapy volume makes it one of the highest-volume PowerPort implantation sites nationally, and its patient population is well-represented in MDL 3081 filings.
Primary federal venues for Texas PowerPort plaintiffs are the S.D. Tex. (Houston) and N.D. Tex. (Dallas), both active conduits to MDL 3081. Becton, Dickinson and Company maintains significant Texas operations including medical-device sales territory management from its Dallas-area offices. BD’s Bard Medical subsidiary has longstanding supply relationships with major Texas health systems, supporting general and specific personal jurisdiction claims in Texas state and federal courts.
Exposure in Texas
Source: U.S. News Best Hospitals, 2024
Source: Reported settlement data
Source: Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code § 16.003
Clinics & Specialists in Texas
MD Anderson Cancer Center
UT Southwestern Medical Center — Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center
Your Legal Team
James Okafor
Partner
Houston, TX
James Okafor is a Houston-based trial attorney with 14 years of experience in medical products liability, focusing on cases involving implantable cardiovascular and vascular devices. His practice encompasses the full spectrum of PowerPort litigation — from newly diagnosed catheter fractures requiring retrieval through the most serious cardiac perforation and wrongful death cases. James has worked extensively with cardiothoracic surgeons and infectious disease specialists as expert witnesses to establish both general causation and specific causation for his clients' injuries. He has recovered over $60 million for clients injured by defective medical devices and is recognized by Best Lawyers in America in the product liability plaintiff category.
Education
- J.D., University of Texas School of Law (2012)
- B.S., Biochemistry, Texas Southern University (2009)