McCune Law Group Initiates Legal Action Over FreeStyle Libre 3 Malfunctioning Devices Linked to Death

Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed Against Abbott

A Grave Situation

On February 10, 2026, the McCune Law Group announced the filing of a wrongful death lawsuit against Abbott Diabetes Care Inc. and Abbott Laboratories. The lawsuit claims that defective FreeStyle Libre 3 and FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus glucose monitoring systems are linked to multiple fatalities, including one particular case that has shaken the community.

The Tragic Incident

The suit specifically calls out the death of Michael Leroy Ford, a 68-year-old from Alameda, California. Mr. Ford tragically passed away following a cardiac arrest that allegedly stemmed from a false glucose reading. His FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus device indicated an alarming low blood sugar level of 68 mg/dL, while in reality, it was a perilous 551 mg/dL. This dangerous misreading led Mr. Ford to consume sugar, inadvertently exacerbating his condition, which ultimately resulted in his death.

A Major Recall

Abbott issued a recall on November 24, 2025—just days after Mr. Ford's death—affecting around 3 million units of the FreeStyle Libre 3 sensors across the U.S. The reason for this massive recall was identified as a manufacturing defect causing the sensors to deliver inaccurately low glucose readings. Subsequently, the FDA classified this issue as a serious medical device safety concern, raising alarms within the medical community.

More troubling is that this incident marks just the second problem with the devices in a short span of time. Abbott previously recalled a set of sensors in July 2024 due to inaccurate high glucose readings, further highlighting issues within their quality control.