21 U.S.C. § 1606 - Subsequent impleader of dismissed biomaterials supplier

• Cite as: 21 U.S.C. § 1606

(a) Impleading of dismissed defendant

A court, upon motion by a manufacturer or a claimant within 90 days after entry of a final judgment in an action by the claimant against a manufacturer, and notwithstanding any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, may implead a biomaterials supplier who has been dismissed from the action pursuant to this chapter if-

(1) the manufacturer has made an assertion, either in a motion or other pleading filed with the court or in an opening or closing statement at trial, or as part of a claim for contribution or indemnification, and the court finds based on the court's independent review of the evidence contained in the record of the action, that under applicable law-

(A) the negligence or intentionally tortious conduct of the dismissed supplier was an actual and proximate cause of the harm to the claimant; and

(B) the manufacturer's liability for damages should be reduced in whole or in part because of such negligence or intentionally tortious conduct; or

(2) the claimant has moved to implead the supplier and the court finds, based on the court's independent review of the evidence contained in the record of the action, that under applicable law-

(A) the negligence or intentionally tortious conduct of the dismissed supplier was an actual and proximate cause of the harm to the claimant; and