Philips Respironics agreed to a $1.1 billion settlement on April 29, 2024 to resolve personal-injury claims over its recalled CPAP, BiPAP, and ventilator machines — and projected individual payouts vary widely by injury, from modest amounts for minor or short-exposure claims to six figures for serious cancers or respiratory disease. This Philips CPAP settlement calculator estimates a payout from your injury tier, medical bills, lost wages, and a pain-and-suffering multiplier. The 2021 recall covered millions of devices whose sound-abatement foam (PE-PUR) could degrade and release particles and gases that users might inhale or swallow.
In June 2021, Philips recalled its DreamStation and other sleep-and-respiratory devices after discovering the polyester-based polyurethane foam used to dampen sound could break down — especially in heat and humidity — releasing debris and chemicals into the air pathway. Personal-injury and economic-loss lawsuits were consolidated in MDL 3014 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. The personal-injury program is separate from an earlier economic-loss settlement that addressed device replacement and refunds.
The $1.1 billion personal-injury settlement provides an aggregate fund (about $1.075 billion for personal injury plus roughly $25 million for medical monitoring) rather than a single fixed number per person. Within such a program, payouts are typically tiered by injury severity and exposure, then adjusted by individual factors such as the strength of the diagnosis, the length of device use, age, and economic losses. The calculator mirrors that logic by anchoring to an injury tier and adding economic and pain-and-suffering damages.
CPAP Estimate = Injury-Tier Anchor + Economic Damages + Pain & Suffering (medical × multiplier)
The strongest claims involve serious cancers and significant respiratory or organ injuries with a documented diagnosis and substantial CPAP use during the recall period. Lower tiers cover more modest respiratory effects or shorter exposures. Because the personal-injury settlement structure and its detailed allocation matrix are administered through the litigation rather than published as a simple chart, these tiers are projections to help you understand where a claim might fall — not a promise of any specific amount.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Recall date | June 2021 (PE-PUR foam degradation) |
| Devices | DreamStation CPAP/BiPAP, certain ventilators |
| Litigation | MDL 3014, W.D. Pennsylvania |
| PI settlement | $1.1 billion announced April 29, 2024 |
| Alleged injuries | Cancers, respiratory disease, organ damage |
Suppose a long-term DreamStation user is diagnosed with a respiratory disease attributed to foam exposure (Tier 2). He has $40,000 in medical bills, $18,000 in lost wages, and a multiplier of 3. Economic damages are $58,000 and pain-and-suffering is $120,000 (medical × 3), for a gross near $178,000, which the calculator shows within the Tier 2 band with a likely range reflecting program risk. A minor, short-exposure claim with $6,000 in bills would land near the Tier 4 anchor.
A CPAP claim begins with confirming you used a recalled Philips device during the relevant period and have a qualifying diagnosis. An attorney gathers proof of device ownership and use (registration, purchase, or insurance records), the medical records establishing the injury, and economic-loss documentation. The claim is filed into MDL 3014 or registered with the settlement program, where a court-supervised administrator reviews eligibility, assigns the injury to a category, scores it, and calculates an award net of fees, costs, and any liens. Because the program is administered through the litigation, timing depends on the settlement schedule and the volume of claims.
CPAP cases are handled on contingency, commonly 33% to 40% (mass-tort fees may be limited by the court), plus case costs. Health insurers, Medicare, or Medicaid may assert liens for related treatment, repaid from the recovery but often negotiable. The figure this calculator estimates is a gross value; your net recovery is what remains after fees, costs, and liens. The settlement administrator applies the program's grid and deductions, so request a written breakdown of how your award was determined.
Under IRS Publication 4345, compensatory damages for a personal physical injury or physical sickness — including a CPAP-related cancer or respiratory disease — are generally excluded from taxable income. Interest and any punitive component are taxable, and amounts allocated to non-physical claims may be treated differently. Because a CPAP recovery can combine components, confirm the tax treatment of your specific payout with a qualified tax professional.
This calculator is for people who used a recalled Philips Respironics CPAP, BiPAP, or ventilator and later developed an illness they attribute to the degraded foam: those diagnosed with cancers, chronic respiratory disease, or organ damage after sustained device use during the recall period. Family members pursuing a claim after losing a loved one to a qualifying condition can also use it to understand the framework. If you used a recalled device and have a documented diagnosis, the tool frames a realistic range to discuss with counsel.
Philips agreed to a $1.1 billion personal-injury settlement in April 2024, but individual payouts are tiered by injury and exposure, not fixed. Serious cancers and significant respiratory disease anchor the highest tiers; minor or short-exposure claims anchor the lowest. Proof of recalled-device use and a documented diagnosis are the core of a strong claim, and the settlement administrator's criteria ultimately govern the award. The estimate this tool produces is before fees, costs, and liens. Use it as an educational starting point and let a qualified attorney evaluate your specific claim.
There is no single fixed per-person figure. Philips agreed to a $1.1 billion aggregate personal-injury settlement in April 2024, and individual payouts are expected to vary by injury severity and exposure — from modest amounts for minor or short-exposure claims to six figures for serious cancers or respiratory disease. The settlement administrator's criteria determine each award.
In June 2021, Philips recalled its DreamStation and other devices because the PE-PUR sound-abatement foam could degrade — especially in heat and humidity — and release particles and chemicals into the air pathway that users might inhale or swallow. Plaintiffs allege this caused cancers, respiratory disease, and organ damage.
No. The $1.1 billion personal-injury settlement compensates people for bodily injuries. A separate earlier economic-loss settlement addressed device replacement, repairs, and refunds for the recalled machines themselves. They are distinct programs, and a person could potentially be eligible under more than one.
The strongest claims involve serious diagnoses plausibly linked to foam exposure, such as certain cancers, chronic respiratory disease, and organ damage, in people who used a recalled device for a meaningful period during the recall window. A qualified attorney evaluates whether your diagnosis, device, and usage history fit the program's eligibility criteria.
Because the personal-injury program is administered through MDL 3014 in the Western District of Pennsylvania, timing depends on the settlement schedule, claim volume, and review of each claimant's eligibility and injury category. Mass-tort distributions typically occur in stages over time rather than all at once.
Compensatory damages for a physical injury or sickness, such as a CPAP-related cancer or respiratory disease, are generally not taxable under IRS Publication 4345. Interest and any punitive damages are taxable, and amounts allocated to non-physical claims may be treated differently. Confirm your situation with a tax professional.