Commitments and Contingencies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2022
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	10. Commitments and Contingencies. Litigation. In the ordinary course of business, we are involved in various proceedings, legal actions and claims. These proceedings, actions and claims may involve product liability, intellectual property, contract disputes, employment, governmental inquiries, audits or proceedings, or other matters, including those more fully described below. The outcomes of these matters will generally not be known for prolonged periods of time. In certain proceedings, the claimants may seek damages as well as other compensatory and equitable relief that could result in the payment of significant amounts and settlements and/or the imposition of injunctions or other equitable relief. For legal matters for which our management had sufficient information to reasonably estimate our future obligations, a liability representing management’s best estimate of the probable loss, or the minimum of the range of probable losses when a best estimate within the range is not known, is recorded. The estimates are based on consultation with legal counsel, previous settlement experience, settlement strategies and the potential availability of insurance coverage. If actual outcomes are less favorable than those estimated by management, additional expense may be incurred, which could unfavorably affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. The ultimate cost to us with respect to such proceedings, actions and claims could be materially different than the amount of the current estimates and accruals and could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Shareholder Derivative Action On June 3, 2021, Steffen Maute filed a complaint, derivatively on behalf of Merit, against Merit (as a nominal defendant), our Chief Executive Officer, our Chief Financial Officer, our former President of Europe, Middle East and Africa (“EMEA,”) and certain of our directors in the United States District Court for the District of Utah (Case No. 2:21-cv-00346-DBP). The derivative complaint alleges that the individual defendants violated their fiduciary duties owed to Merit and were unjustly enriched at the expense of and to the detriment of Merit between February 2019 and October 2019, and seeks unspecified damages, costs, and professional fees. The parties have negotiated a tentative agreement to settle the dispute; however, that agreement is not final and remains subject to court approval. As currently proposed, the settlement would result in an expense to Merit of $1.0 million. The estimated expense associated with the tentative settlement has been reflected in our financial results reported for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2022. On October 18, 2022, the court entered an order preliminarily approving the settlement and providing for notice to the Company’s shareholders, subject to further consideration at a settlement hearing scheduled for February 16, 2023. SEC Inquiry We received a request from the Division of Enforcement of the U.S, Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) seeking the voluntary production of information relating to the business activities of Merit’s subsidiary in China, including interactions with hospitals and health care officials in China. We are cooperating with this request and investigating the matter and, at this time, are unable to predict the scope, timing, significance or outcome of this matter. Legal costs for proceedings, legal actions and claims discussed above, such as outside counsel fees and expenses, are charged to expense in the period(s) incurred.

Commitments and Contingencies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2022

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

10. Commitments and Contingencies.

Litigation. In the ordinary course of business, we are involved in various proceedings, legal actions and claims. These proceedings, actions and claims may involve product liability, intellectual property, contract disputes, employment, governmental inquiries, audits or proceedings, or other matters, including those more fully described below. The outcomes of these matters will generally not be known for prolonged periods of time. In certain proceedings, the claimants may seek damages as well as other compensatory and equitable relief that could result in the payment of significant amounts and settlements and/or the imposition of injunctions or other equitable relief. For legal matters for which our management had sufficient information to reasonably estimate our future obligations, a liability representing management’s best estimate of the probable loss, or the minimum of the range of probable losses when a best estimate within the range is not known, is recorded. The estimates are based on consultation with legal counsel, previous settlement experience, settlement strategies and the potential availability of insurance coverage. If actual outcomes are less favorable than those estimated by management, additional expense may be incurred, which could unfavorably affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. The ultimate cost to us with respect to such proceedings, actions and claims could be materially different than the amount of the current estimates and accruals and could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Shareholder Derivative Action

On June 3, 2021, Steffen Maute filed a complaint, derivatively on behalf of Merit, against Merit (as a nominal defendant), our Chief Executive Officer, our Chief Financial Officer, our former President of Europe, Middle East and Africa (“EMEA,”) and certain of our directors in the United States District Court for the District of Utah (Case No. 2:21-cv-00346-DBP). The derivative complaint alleges that the individual defendants violated their fiduciary duties owed to Merit and were unjustly enriched at the expense of and to the detriment of Merit between February 2019 and October 2019, and seeks unspecified damages, costs, and professional fees. The parties have negotiated a tentative agreement to settle the dispute; however, that agreement is not final and remains subject to court approval. As currently proposed, the settlement would result in an expense to Merit of $1.0 million. The estimated expense associated with the tentative settlement has been reflected in our financial results reported for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2022. On October 18, 2022, the court entered an order preliminarily approving the settlement and providing for notice to the Company’s shareholders, subject to further consideration at a settlement hearing scheduled for February 16, 2023.

SEC Inquiry

We received a request from the Division of Enforcement of the U.S, Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) seeking the voluntary production of information relating to the business activities of Merit’s subsidiary in China, including interactions with hospitals and health care officials in China. We are cooperating with this request and investigating the matter and, at this time, are unable to predict the scope, timing, significance or outcome of this matter.

Legal costs for proceedings, legal actions and claims discussed above, such as outside counsel fees and expenses, are charged to expense in the period(s) incurred.