6 Companies Currently Facing AL Lawsuits for Hip Replacements

Posted in Uncategorized on September 26, 2017.

Many people who have experienced serious injuries or older individuals who suffer from bone health problems require hip replacements. These surgeries entail replacing the ball-and-socket joint of the hip, either partially or entirely. Hip implants can help people regain the ability to walk and perform other activities their injuries previously prevented. Some hip replacements can wear down over time or prematurely fail. The results are usually excruciating pain and subsequent surgeries to repair the damage.

Defective Hip Replacement Devices

Recently, several hip replacement manufacturers have issued recalls for defective or unreliable hip replacement systems that can fail and cause pain to patients. Most of the problematic devices are either modular-neck stems or metal-on-metal replacement joints. The results can be catastrophic when these devices wear down too quickly, malfunction, or break.

Malfunctioning or defective hip replacements systems can damage the surrounding muscles, tissues, and bones. People who have metal hip replacements can sometimes develop a condition known as metallosis. This condition describes a toxic buildup of metal fragments in body tissue. The metal ions in the body can poison the bloodstream, cause severe pain in the affected areas, and leave the individual susceptible to several other complications.

Six Companies Under Fire

Currently, there are six hip-replacement manufacturers facing lawsuits in Alabama for their hip-replacement systems harming patients. Those companies include:

  • DePuy. A division of Johnson & Johnson, DePuy Orthopedics, Inc., is facing litigation after a voluntary recall in 2003. The company issued recalls of the ASR XL Acetabular System and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System after data indicated one in eight patients required revision surgery within five years. The company is also facing more than 8,000 individual lawsuits for damages caused by its metal-on-metal hip replacement system.
  • Biomet. This company is facing lawsuits for metallosis and tissue damage caused by its M2a Magnum Hip System. Biomet agreed to a $56 million settlement in February of 2014.
  • Smith & Nephew. This company is facing lawsuits due to premature device failures causing metallosis, bone deterioration and tissue damage. In June of 2012, Smith & Nephew issued a recall of its R3 metal liner for its R3 Metal Acetabular System.
  • Stryker. By June of 2012, the Food and Drug Administration had received more than 45 adverse event reports connected to the Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG-II modular-neck femoral stems. Stryker agreed to a global settlement of $1.4 billion in November of 2014.
  • Zimmer. This company merged with Biomet in 2015 and has issued several recalls for troublesome products, including the MMC Cup and the Durom Acetabular Cup.
  • Wright Medical. Wright Medical’s Dynasty cup device is the cause of hundreds of lawsuits in California, and the company has already paid $11 million in damages to plaintiffs as of November 2015.

Most of the lawsuits against these companies are class-action suits, in which many plaintiffs with similar damages suing the same defendant come together as part of one large case. This method typically saves time, money, and frustration for both sides. The company only has to worry about one large settlement, while all of the individual plaintiffs can claim and collect damages much more quickly than they would with individual civil actions against the company.

If you or a loved one has encountered issues with devices from any of the aforementioned companies or any other medical device, it’s important to seek counsel from a Birmingham personal injury attorney. A good attorney will advise you of the best course of action, which may could include joining in a class-action lawsuit or filing one of your own.