Patients who had hip replacement surgeries that implanted a medical device from DePuy may be entitled to substantial financial compensation. DePuy has agreed to several very large settlements for its Articular Service Replacement (ASR) and Pinnacle hip implants. If you have been injured by one of these devices, you might have the right to file a claim.
What Was Wrong with DePuy’s Hip Replacements?
At the time that they were introduced, DePuy’s hip replacements seemed like a revolutionary medical advancement. However, it soon became apparent that the device’s design posed serious dangers to patients as adverse reports to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) skyrocketed. Patients were getting sick, and hip replacements were failing.
DePuy’s implants used a technology called “metal on metal.” There were multiple metal parts that grated against each other after the device was implanted. The friction caused hazardous metal ions to be released into patients’ bodies.
Lawsuits have claimed a defective design of metal-on-metal implants. The metal ball and metal cup of the implant grind against each other with every step. Given the design, there is no way to prevent the hip implant from producing metal that stays in the patient’s body and sickens them. This was something that the manufacturers knew or should have known before they sold the product to the public.
Injuries Caused by DePuy’s Hip Replacements
DePuy’s metal-on-metal implants caused the following injuries:
- Metallosis (when metal builds up in the body’s soft tissue)
- Metal poisoning
- Implant dislocation
- Fractures
- The need for revision surgeries
In fact, studies have shown a much higher death rate in patients who have received metal-on-metal hip implants than those who got other implants. The 10-year mortality rate for patients who received metal-on-metal implants is over six percent.
People who have had metal-on-metal hip implants need surgery to take out this dangerous medical device and implant a new one to avoid lasting harm. This causes them additional pain and costs them time out of their life as they recover from the surgery.
There have been tens of thousands of lawsuits filed against DePuy for its metal-on-metal hip replacements. In 2013, DePuy paid $2.9 billion to settle the ASR lawsuits. In 2019, DePuy paid another billion to settle another 6,000 lawsuits filed by patients who suffered damage from Pinnacle hip replacements. This was after DePuy lost three major cases in trials that resulted in large jury verdicts.
These previous settlements do not mean that you cannot receive financial compensation if you have not yet filed a lawsuit. You can still file a DePuy hip replacement lawsuit if you are within the statute of limitations. So long as you have suffered an injury (including the need for revision surgery) and are timely, you can file a lawsuit with the help of a Boca Raton product liability lawyer.
Contact an Experienced Product Liability Lawyer
One of our Florida injury lawyers can help you file the lawsuit that could lead to financial compensation. Contact the attorneys at Ged Lawyers, LLP online or call us at (561) 995-1966 to schedule your free initial consultation.
