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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2013
Notes to Financial Statements [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Litigation

On June 18, 2004, Marvin Weinstat, DDS and Richard Nathan, DDS filed a class action suit in San Francisco County, California alleging that the Company misrepresented that its Cavitron® ultrasonic scalers are suitable for use in oral surgical procedures. The Complaint seeks a recall of the product and refund of its purchase price to dentists who have purchased it for use in oral surgery. The Court certified the case as a class action in June 2006 with respect to the breach of warranty and unfair business practices claims. The class that was certified is defined as California dental professionals who, at any time during the period beginning June 18, 2000 through September 14, 2012, purchased and used one or more Cavitron® ultrasonic scalers for the performance of oral surgical procedures on their patients, which Cavitrons® were accompanied by Directions for Use that “Indicated” Cavitron® use for “periodontal debridement for all types of periodontal disease.” A Class Notice was mailed on September 14, 2012. The case went to trial in September 2013 and a decision has not yet been issued by the Court.

On December 12, 2006, a Complaint was filed by Carole Hildebrand, DDS and Robert Jaffin, DDS in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (the Plaintiffs subsequently added Dr. Mitchell Goldman as a named class representative).  The case was filed by the same law firm that filed the Weinstat case in California.  The Complaint asserts putative class action claims on behalf of dentists located in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The Complaint seeks damages and asserts that the Company’s Cavitron® ultrasonic scaler was negligently designed and sold in breach of contract and warranty arising from misrepresentations about the potential uses of the product because it cannot assure the delivery of potable or sterile water. Following dismissal of the case for lack of jurisdiction, the plaintiffs filed a second complaint under the name of Dr. Hildebrand’s corporate practice. The Company’s motion to dismiss this new complaint was denied and the case will now proceed under the name “Center City Periodontists.” The Court recently granted the Company’s Motion and dismissed plaintiffs’ New Jersey Consumer Fraud and negligent design claims, leaving only a breach of express warranty claim.

The Company does not believe a loss is probable related to the above litigation. Further a reasonable estimate of a possible range of loss cannot be made. In the event that one or more of these matters is unfavorably resolved, it is possible the Company’s results from operations could be materially impacted.

In 2012, the Company received subpoenas from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana (the “USAO”) and from the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”) requesting documents and information related to compliance with export controls and economic sanctions regulations by certain of its subsidiaries. The Company has voluntarily contacted OFAC and the Bureau of Industry and Security of the United States Department of Commerce (“BIS”), in connection with these matters as well as regarding compliance with export controls and economic sanctions regulations by certain other business units of the Company identified in connection with an ongoing internal review by the Company. The Company is cooperating with the USAO, OFAC and BIS with respect to these matters.

At this stage of the inquiries, the Company is unable to predict the ultimate outcome of these matters or what impact, if any, the outcome of these matters might have on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. Violations of export control or economic sanctions laws or regulations could result in a range of governmental enforcement actions, including fines or penalties, injunctions and/or criminal or other civil proceedings, which actions could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations. At this time, no claims have been made against the Company.

In addition to the matters disclosed above, the Company is, from time to time, subject to a variety of litigation and similar proceedings incidental to its business.  These legal matters primarily involve claims for damages arising out of the use of the Company’s products and services and claims relating to intellectual property matters including patent infringement, employment matters, tax matters, commercial disputes, competition and sales and trading practices, personal injury and insurance coverage.  The Company may also become subject to lawsuits as a result of past or future acquisitions or as a result of liabilities retained from, or representations, warranties or indemnities provided in connection with, divested businesses.  Some of these lawsuits may include claims for punitive and consequential, as well as compensatory damages.  Based upon the Company’s experience, current information and applicable law, it does not believe that these proceedings and claims will have a material adverse effect on its consolidated results of operations, financial position or liquidity. However, in the event of unexpected further developments, it is possible that the ultimate resolution of these matters, or other similar matters, if unfavorable, may be materially adverse to the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

While the Company maintains general, products, property, workers’ compensation, automobile, cargo, aviation, crime, fiduciary and directors’ and officers’ liability insurance up to certain limits that cover certain of these claims, this insurance may be insufficient or unavailable to cover such losses.  In addition, while the Company believes it is entitled to indemnification from third parties for some of these claims, these rights may also be insufficient or unavailable to cover such losses.

Purchase Commitments

From time to time, the Company enters into long-term inventory purchase commitments with minimum purchase requirements for raw materials and finished goods to ensure the availability of products for production and distribution.  These commitments may have a significant impact on levels of inventory maintained by the Company.