DENTSPLY International Inc. Sues Law Firm Over $15 Million Breach-of-contract Loss

Dentsply International sues the law firm that lost a breach of contract case filed against it, costing the dental device maker more than $15 million; also, Hansen settles shareholder suits; and DePuy Pinnacle lawsuits top 900. Dentsply International (NSDQ:XRAY) sued the law firm that represented it in a breach-of-contract lawsuit filed against it by Guidance Endodontics that wound up costing Dentsply more than $15 million. Guidance sued Dentsply for breach of contract in 2008 over a supply deal for dental obturators, endodontic files and ovens. The case went to trial in the fall of 2009, with Thomas Gulley of the firm Lewis & Roca representing Dentsply. The jury returned a verdict against the York, Pa.-based dental devices maker, awarding more than $4 million for the breach of contract, punitive damages of $40 million and legal fees of more than $3.5 million, according to court documents. The judge in the case later reduced the punitive damages to $4 million, according to the documents.