Item 3. Legal Proceedings
ITEM
3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
From
time to time, the Company may be involved in litigation relating to claims arising out of operations in the normal course of business.
As of April 16, 2024, other than those described below, there were no pending or threatened legal proceedings that could reasonably
be expected to have a material effect on the results of the Company’s operations. There are also no proceedings in which any of
the Company’s directors, officers or affiliates is an adverse party to the Company or has a material interest adverse to the Company’s
interest.
On
February 6, 2019, plaintiff Ritu Bhambhani, M.D., initiated a lawsuit against Innovative Health Solutions, Inc. and others in the United
States District Court for the District of Maryland. Plaintiffs Bhambhani and Sudhir Rao subsequently amended the complaint, with the
Third Amended Complaint (“Complaint”) containing the most recent set of allegations. The Complaint asserted claims under
the RICO Act, as well as of fraudulent misrepresentation, intentional misrepresentation by concealment, and civil conspiracy and sought
compensatory damages in excess of $5 million, pre-judgment interest, punitive damages, attorney’s fees, court costs and designation
of the case as a class action. The Complaint states that the Company, distributors of the Company’s product, and medical billing
and coding consultants allegedly made misrepresentations to the plaintiffs that the Company’s NeuroStim device and related procedures
could be billed to, and reimbursed by, Medicare and other insurance payors as a surgically implantable neurostimulator. Plaintiffs claim
to have suffered damages when Medicare administrative contractors declined to pay plaintiffs for their use of the device.
On
February 11, 2022, the Company filed a motion for summary judgment based upon the plaintiffs not being proper parties to assert claims
against the Company. On June 14, 2022, the Court granted the Company’s motion for summary judgment and dismissed the Complaint.
On
July 14, 2022, plaintiffs Ritu Bhambhani and Sudhir Rao filed a notice of appeal with the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Company
filed a motion to dismiss. On January 4, 2023, the Court issued an order that stated it was deferring a ruling on the motion to
dismiss the appeal and that it would address those arguments at the same time that it addressed the substantive merits of the case. While it is too early to predict the ultimate
outcome of this matter, we continue to believe we have meritorious defenses, that the dismissal of the Complaint should be upheld, and
intend to continue to defend this matter vigorously.
On
July 14, 2022, plaintiffs Ritu Bhambhani, LLC; Box Hill Surgery Center, LLC; Pain and Spine Specialists of Maryland, LLC; and SimCare
ASC, LLC initiated a lawsuit against the Company and others in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. The plaintiffs
in this lawsuit are business entities owned or partially owned by the plaintiffs that initiated the litigation described above. The Complaint
asserted claims under the RICO Act, as well as fraudulent misrepresentation, intentional misrepresentation by concealment, and civil
conspiracy and seeks compensatory damages in excess of $75,000, pre-judgment interest, punitive damages, attorney’s fees, and court
costs. The Complaint states that the Company, distributors of the Company’s product, and medical billing and coding consultants
allegedly made misrepresentations to the plaintiffs that the Company’s NeuroStim device and related procedures could be billed
to, and reimbursed by, Medicare and other insurance payors as a surgically implantable neurostimulator. Plaintiffs claim to have suffered
damages when Medicare administrative contractors declined to pay plaintiffs for their use of the device.
On
September 28, 2022, the Company filed a motion to dismiss all claims. On May 25, 2023, the Court issued an Order and a Memorandum
Opinion which dismissed the plaintiffs’claims related to the RICO Act. The remaining claims are still pending, and no trial date
has been set for the case.
The Court has vacated its Scheduling Order
at the parties’ request so that the parties could try to resolve the disputes in both cases through an independent third-party
mediator. No mediation date has been set. While it is too early to predict the ultimate outcome of this matter, we believe the Company has meritorious
defenses and intends to defend this matter vigorously.
ITEM
4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not
applicable.
62
PART
II
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