Defective Hip Replacement Lawsuit

Some people who experience pain in their hips can control their pain with medications and continue to live fulfilling lives. Others, however, suffer uncontrollable pain that severely limits physical activity. A medical professional may recommend a total hip replacement (total hip arthroplasty) in such cases. During the surgical procedure, an individual’s damaged hip joint is removed and replaced with an artificial hip replacement system. It may be necessary for the surgeon to remove cartilage as well as bone that has been damaged.

Dr. Jared Foran of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons created a list of the most common sources of pain that can make hip replacement surgery necessary. Among the causes are:

• Rheumatoid arthritis – Different types of arthritis can cause pain and discomfort in hip joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is a common culprit of hip pain.
• Osteoarthritis – With age, people will often experience wear on joints. As the cartilage around a hip joint vanishes, bones can rub against one another. This causes extreme pain.
• Childhood Hip Disease – Diseases during youth can lead to arthritis or pain in adulthood from improper growth.
• Osteonecrosis – This is when bone cells die from decreased blood flow and can be caused by trauma from a fall, certain medications, or excessive alcohol consumption

There are various brands and different types of materials used in hip implants:

• Biomet M2a Magnum Hip Implants
• DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System
• DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System
• DePuy Pinnacle Hip Replacement System
• Exactech Connexion GXL
• Smith & Nephew R3 Acetabular System
• Stryker ABG II Modular Neck Hip Stems
• Stryker Rejuvenate Hip System
• Wright CONSERVE Plus Hip Devices
• Wright PROFEMURE Z Stem
• Zimmer Durom Cup Hip Devices

Unlike the original hip replacement surgery, revision surgery is a much more complicated procedure that often takes several hours.

Doctors must carefully examine the tissue around the implant to ensure it is not infected and determine which components have become damaged. Because cement is sometimes used to secure the implant, it takes time to remove the cement from the bone. The implant then has to be removed and replaced.

The most common risks include:

• Blood clots
• Infection
• Fracture
• Dislocation
• Leg-length discrepancy
• Pulmonary embolism
• Blood vessel or nerve damage
• Implant loosening
• Bone fails to attach to the metal implant
• Heterotopic ossification

Recovery from revision surgery is typically slower. While most people who undergo revision surgery see improvements, some patients still experience pain and implant problems afterward.

• 2013 – Johnson & Johnson settled over 8,000 lawsuits for $4 billion. The lawsuits claimed defective metal-on-metal hip implants injured patients.
• 2014 – Stryker Corp. settled thousands of Minnesota and New Jersey suits over ABG ll and Rejuvenate hip implant devices.
• 2015 – DePuy covered another 1,800 claims beyond Johnson & Johnson’s settlement at an amount of $420 million.
• 2015 – Biomet settled metal-on-metal M2A Magnum implant suits for $56 million. The lawsuit claimed the system failed shortly after being implanted.
• 2016 – Wright Medical settled 1,300 suits for $240 million to resolve about 1,300 lawsuits involving defective metal-on-metal hip implants.
• 2017 – Zimmer, Inc., was forced to pay a patient $2 million for injury caused by its Kinective hip implant.
• 2017 – Johnson & Johnson, plus DePuy, paid $247 million to settle six lawsuits. The six victims claimed they were injured by defective Pinnacle hip implants.
• 2019 – Johnson & Johnson agreed to pay a $1 billion settlement to end hip replacement lawsuits. The amount includes a previous settlement of $400 million.
• 2020 – Johnson & Johnson agreed to a $3.9 million settlement to resolve unlawful marketing for pelvic mesh lawsuits. The settlement also resolved allegations against J&J for deceptive marketing practices involving metal-on-metal hip replacement systems.

If you or a loved one were injured by a defective hip replacement, contact The Guardian Legal Network to connect with a defective medical device lawyer. Individuals are filing suit and receiving compensation for the pain and suffering they have endured. A qualified and knowledgeable attorney will discuss your legal rights and help you file a product liability lawsuit against the negligent manufacturers.