DePuy Orthopaedics and its parent company Johnson and Johnson are facing thousands of lawsuits from people who received defective hip implants and required revision or replacement surgery. These plaintiffs claim the manufacturer failed to warm them about the risks associated with metal-on-metal hip implants, including the high rate of complications that require additional surgeries. DePuy recalled these systems in 2010.
If you received a metal-on-metal hip implant prior to 2010 and later required additional procedures to repair or replace the device, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit against DePuy or another manufacturer of this type of device. Call Gacovino, Lake & Associates, P.C. today at 800-550-0000 to schedule a complimentary consultation with a DePuy hip implant recall lawsuit lawyer.
What Issues Do People Have with the DePuy Hip Implant Devices?
Many patients who received this type of metal-on-metal hip implant reported symptoms within the first few years of their replacement surgery. Depending on the severity of symptoms, many required additional surgeries to revise, remove, and/or replace the artificial hip. Some of the symptoms you need to be aware of if you received one of these implants include:
- Swelling
- Difficulty walking and decreased mobility
- Pain when walking
- Pain when rising from a seated position
- Pain when bearing weight
- Thigh, hip, or groin pain
Any of these symptoms may indicate that your DePuy hip implant or hip replacement system is failing. You should report any of these symptoms to your family physician or orthopedist. You may also want to contact us to discuss your legal options, even if you are not yet experiencing these symptoms.
What Do I Need to Know About the 2010 DePuy Hip Replacement Recall?
DePuy Orthopaedics issued a voluntary recall of its metal-on-metal products on August 24, 2010. The affected products include:
- Pinnacle
- ASR XL Acetabular System
- ASR Hip Resurfacing System
According to the statement about the recall, new data from the National Joint Registry of England and Wales pushed DePuy into pulling these products from the marketplace and issuing a warning to those who already received the implants.
According to the new information, about one out of every eight patients who initially received a DePuy metal-on-metal implant required revision surgery within five years. This included 13 percent of all patients with the ASR total hip replacement system and 12 percent who received an ASR resurfacing device. Most required another hip replacement procedure, which comes with a number of risks to the patient, including infection, loss of mobility, and a painful recovery.
What Is the Current Status of DePuy Hip Implant Recall Lawsuits?
In all, DePuy and Johnson & Johnson faces thousands of lawsuits stemming from defective metal-on-metal hip implants. DePuy Orthopaedics made an initial offer to recipients of the ASR hip replacement systems, offering to pay for related medical care. For many, however, this was simply not enough. They have additional damages, including pain and suffering, and long-term health consequences such as decreased mobility and lingering pain. If you received an ASR or Pinnacle hip replacement, you may be eligible to file a DePuy hip implant lawsuit and request the full amount of compensation you deserve.
The multidistrict litigation (MDL) regarding the Pinnacle hip implants is currently in bellwether trials, which allow both sides to see how a judge and jury may react to these cases. While this has no bearing on the outcome of other cases in the MDL, it can help both sides to see what a fair settlement might look like. While the plaintiffs lost the first bellwether trial, the following three bellwether trials resulted in large payouts for the recipients of these defective implants.
In January of 2016, a jury awarded five claimants $502 million, although the award was later lowered to $151 million. Later that same year, six claimants won a $1 billion payout for their claim that the implants caused significant issues because metal shards entered nearby tissue. Finally, in November 2017, the court awarded another six claimants a verdict totaling $247 million. These plaintiffs claimed they suffer from chronic pain, bone erosion and tissue loss, inflammation, and other problems because of the Pinnacle implant.
It is important to note that almost all the claimants who file suit against the manufacturer of these hip implants required revision surgeries because of a failed implant. If you did not require additional surgeries because of your implant, you may not qualify. We offer free case reviews, and can help you understand your legal rights when it comes to filing one of these claims. Call us today; many states have a short statute of limitations for filing this type of lawsuit.
How Can I Reach a DePuy Hip Implant Recall Lawsuit Lawyer About my Case?
If you received a Depuy metal-on-metal hip implant or hip replacement system, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit and collect compensation for any resulting injuries. If your hip replacement failed within a few years and you required revision surgery, give Gacovino, Lake & Associates, P.C. a call today. We can evaluate your options for compensation, and offer you guidance and advice about recovering the money you deserve. Call us today at 800-550-0000.
