COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2014
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	13. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES On May 19, 2014, Edwards Lifesciences entered into an agreement (the "Settlement Agreement") with Medtronic to, among other things, settle all outstanding patent litigation between the parties (see Note 3). Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, all of the following pending cases and related appeals in courts worldwide were dismissed: • the lawsuit filed in February 2008 by Edwards Lifesciences against Medtronic in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware (the "District Court") alleging that its ReValving System infringes three of Edwards' U.S. Andersen patents, later narrowed to one patent; • a second lawsuit pending in the District Court against Medtronic alleging infringement of two of Edwards' U.S. Andersen patents; • the lawsuit against Medtronic in the District Court alleging infringement of an Edwards' U.S. Letac-Cribier transcatheter heart valve patent; • the lawsuit filed in June 2011 by Medtronic against Edwards Lifesciences in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota alleging that certain surgical valve holders and a surgical embolic filter device infringe its patents and including Edwards' counterclaim alleging infringement of Edwards' annuloplasty ring patents; • the lawsuit filed in June 2011 by Medtronic against Edwards Lifesciences in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California alleging that the Edwards SAPIEN transcatheter heart valve infringes a Medtronic patent, which patent was subsequently ruled invalid and the lawsuit was dismissed in favor of Edwards; • the lawsuit filed in March 2012 by Medtronic in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California alleging that the methods of implanting the Edwards SAPIEN transcatheter heart valve in the United States infringe two Medtronic patents relating to methods of pacing the heart; and • the lawsuit filed in August 2012 by Edwards Lifesciences against Medtronic in the German District Court of Mannheim alleging that Medtronic's CoreValve and Evolut valves infringed three of Edwards' transcatheter valve patents. Edwards Lifesciences is or may be a party to, or may otherwise be responsible for, pending or threatened lawsuits related primarily to products and services currently or formerly manufactured or performed, as applicable, by Edwards Lifesciences. Such cases and claims raise difficult and complex factual and legal issues and are subject to many uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the facts and circumstances of each particular case or claim, the jurisdiction in which each suit is brought, and differences in applicable law. Upon resolution of any such legal matter or other claim, Edwards Lifesciences may incur charges in excess of established reserves. The Company is not able to estimate the amount or range of any loss for legal contingencies for which there is no reserve or additional loss for matters already reserved. While any such charge related to matters could have a material adverse impact on Edwards Lifesciences' net income or cash flows in the period in which it is recorded or paid, management does not believe that any such charge relating to any currently pending lawsuit would have a material adverse effect on Edwards Lifesciences' financial position, results of operations or liquidity. Edwards Lifesciences is subject to various environmental laws and regulations both within and outside of the United States. The operations of Edwards Lifesciences, like those of other medical device companies, involve the use of substances regulated under environmental laws, primarily in manufacturing and sterilization processes. While it is difficult to quantify the potential impact of continuing compliance with environmental protection laws, management believes that such compliance will not have a material impact on Edwards Lifesciences' financial position, results of operations or liquidity.

13. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

On May 19, 2014, Edwards Lifesciences entered into an agreement (the "Settlement Agreement") with Medtronic to, among other things, settle all outstanding patent litigation between the parties (see Note 3). Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, all of the following pending cases and related appeals in courts worldwide were dismissed:

•

the lawsuit filed in February 2008 by Edwards Lifesciences against Medtronic in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware (the "District Court") alleging that its ReValving System infringes three of Edwards' U.S. Andersen patents, later narrowed to one patent;

•

a second lawsuit pending in the District Court against Medtronic alleging infringement of two of Edwards' U.S. Andersen patents;

•

the lawsuit against Medtronic in the District Court alleging infringement of an Edwards' U.S. Letac-Cribier transcatheter heart valve patent;

•

the lawsuit filed in June 2011 by Medtronic against Edwards Lifesciences in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota alleging that certain surgical valve holders and a surgical embolic filter device infringe its patents and including Edwards' counterclaim alleging infringement of Edwards' annuloplasty ring patents;

•

the lawsuit filed in June 2011 by Medtronic against Edwards Lifesciences in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California alleging that the Edwards SAPIEN transcatheter heart valve infringes a Medtronic patent, which patent was subsequently ruled invalid and the lawsuit was dismissed in favor of Edwards;

•

the lawsuit filed in March 2012 by Medtronic in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California alleging that the methods of implanting the Edwards SAPIEN transcatheter heart valve in the United States infringe two Medtronic patents relating to methods of pacing the heart; and

•

the lawsuit filed in August 2012 by Edwards Lifesciences against Medtronic in the German District Court of Mannheim alleging that Medtronic's CoreValve and Evolut valves infringed three of Edwards' transcatheter valve patents.

Edwards Lifesciences is or may be a party to, or may otherwise be responsible for, pending or threatened lawsuits related primarily to products and services currently or formerly manufactured or performed, as applicable, by Edwards Lifesciences. Such cases and claims raise difficult and complex factual and legal issues and are subject to many uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the facts and circumstances of each particular case or claim, the jurisdiction in which each suit is brought, and differences in applicable law. Upon resolution of any such legal matter or other claim, Edwards Lifesciences may incur charges in excess of established reserves. The Company is not able to estimate the amount or range of any loss for legal contingencies for which there is no reserve or additional loss for matters already reserved. While any such charge related to matters could have a material adverse impact on Edwards Lifesciences' net income or cash flows in the period in which it is recorded or paid, management does not believe that any such charge relating to any currently pending lawsuit would have a material adverse effect on Edwards Lifesciences' financial position, results of operations or liquidity.

Edwards Lifesciences is subject to various environmental laws and regulations both within and outside of the United States. The operations of Edwards Lifesciences, like those of other medical device companies, involve the use of substances regulated under environmental laws, primarily in manufacturing and sterilization processes. While it is difficult to quantify the potential impact of continuing compliance with environmental protection laws, management believes that such compliance will not have a material impact on Edwards Lifesciences' financial position, results of operations or liquidity.