Stryker Hip Recall Lawsuit
Stryker Hip Recall Lawsuit
Several hip replacement products manufactured by medical device company Stryker have been recalled from the U.S. market because of alarmingly high failure rates. If you or a loved one has experienced serious, life-changing injuries after receiving a Stryker hip replacement device, you may be eligible to file a Stryker hip lawsuit.
Stryker Orthopaedics is a Fortune 500 company with more than 22,000 employees in over 100 countries and raking in profits of more than $8.7 billion a year. The medical technology firm designs, manufactures and sells hip implants, knee replacements, foot and ankle devices, spinal implants, endoscopes and computer-assisted surgery technology.
These products are designed to improve patients’ quality of life, but the promises don’t always withstand the test of time. Currently, the company is embroiled in mass litigation regarding their Rejuvenate, ABG II hip implants, and Trident hip replacements. The Sanders Firm is among the leading product liability lawyers advocating for victims of these defective products.
As of December 2013, there were 462 Stryker hip lawsuit filings consolidated in multidistrict litigation in the U.S. District Court of Minnesota under Donovan W. Frank. More personal injury lawsuits are expected to be filed with regard to all models.
$1 billion earmarked for settlements
Having the right lawyer can make all the difference in the world. Ideally, plaintiffs can forego the long litigation process and settle for a large sum outside of court. At the end of December, Stryker Corp. announced they would settle four claims for an undisclosed sum of money. Negotiations fell through in two other cases, Stryker hip attorneys said. These cases are just the “tip of the iceberg” for the hundreds of Stryker hip lawsuits still pending in what has been called one of the biggest mass tort cases in the country.
The manufacturer announced it would set aside up to $1.1 billion for litigation, according to an October regulatory filing. Mediation talks are set to continue with three cases discussed in January and fifteen Rejuvenate hip implant cases scheduled for mediation in February, according to the Post-Gazette.
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If you or a loved one has suffered complications from a Stryker hip replacement, you may be eligible for compensation that includes past and future medical expenses, lost income, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, loss of consortium and other losses. To learn more about filing a Stryker hip lawsuit, speak with one of our product liability attorneys today toll-free at 1.800.FAIR.PLAY.
Stryker hip replacement products
The Trident Ceramic Acetabular System, FDA-approved in 2003, was a ceramic-on-ceramic hip implant that promised less wear-and-tear than plastic or metal components. A durable titanium sleeve would protect the ceramic from chipping and fracturing, the company said. However, reports began coming in that systems were squeaking, wearing unevenly, causing bone fractures, shattering and loosening. Worse yet, the company was cited by the FDA in 2007 for a staphylococcus bacterial contamination on some of the components that were unknowingly implanted into patients.
Later Stryker hip implant systems were designed to provide a more versatile fit, allowing surgeons additional options that took into consideration the age, height, body type and mobility of individual patients. The modular design with its two-part hip stems was also designed to avoid the problem of metal contamination seen in metal-on-metal hip implants on the market.
In 2008, the FDA cleared the Stryker Rejuvenate system – and subsequently allowed the ABG II system in 2009. Both Stryker hip replacements systems include ceramic cups and metal sockets. However, post-market reviews found that the two-part metal stem components could still rub against one another, causing metal fragments to contaminate the bloodstream.
Reported Stryker hip complications
Within the first few years, more than 60 adverse events regarding Stryker hip implants were reported to the FDA. Patients said they received their Rejuvenate hip implants believing that they would last for decades, but many of the implants failed in less than two years, causing the need for risky and expensive revision surgeries.
Stryker hip complications include:
- Adherence issues
- Bone fracture
- Bone loss
- Implant failure
- Infection
- Inflammation
- Loosening
- Metallosis
- Muscle injury
- Nerve damage
- Severe pain
- Squeaking
- Tissue damage
- Tumors
As the hip implant components loosen and grind against one another, metal fragments get released into the blood, causing a host of problems for the muscles, bones, tissues and nerves. Severe pain, squeaking at the implant site and inflammation are the unfortunate side effects of premature Stryker hip implant failure. Revision surgeries carry added risks of scarring, infection, pain and improper healing – not to mention, added emotional trauma and expense.
In April 2012, Stryker Corp. issued an urgent field safety notice to surgeons, warning of metallosis side effects. The first official Stryker hip recall for both the Rejuvenate and ABG II systems came just two months later. They explained that modular stem corrosion was resulting in tissue reactions, pain and swelling.
Notable Stryker hip lawsuit filings
More than 20,000 patients across the country received the implants before the Stryker hip recall in July 2012. The first Rejuvenate hip lawsuit was filed a month later. Plaintiffs are leveling a variety charges against the manufacturer, including negligence, failure to warn and defective design.
In May 2012, plaintiff Maryann Guisto and her husband, Jerry, filed a complaint against Stryker after Maryann experienced ongoing pain in her hip, pelvis and spine following her surgery. She tried various medical treatments, including expensive custom orthotics, but found no relief. Three years after her surgery, she heard about the Stryker Trident recall of 2008 and sought $6 million in compensation.
Another case was filed in June 2013 by Marie Pennings. She suffered from pain, swelling, decreased mobility and pain throughout her body following her Rejuvenate hip replacement surgery. Now she will need to endure risky revision surgery, medical treatments and physical therapy to correct the damage done. She is seeking punitive and compensatory damages totaling $20 million in her Stryker hip lawsuit.
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Founded in 1967, The Sanders Law Firm has flourished into one of New York’s most successful personal injury practices, with an accomplished team of attorneys, paralegals, health care consultants, and support staff. Our trial attorneys take new cases on a contingency basis, which means there is no cost to the client unless we secure monetary damages on your behalf.
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At The Sanders Firm, there is never any charge to evaluate your case. We have helped thousands of injured clients throughout New York City, Long Island, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island, and we’re prepared to help you too. In just the last five years we have procured over $100 million dollars on behalf of our clients, thanks to our vast resources and experienced attorneys. Our personal injury law firm continues to make its industry-leading legal services even better, and hire attorneys and staff that enable us to serve a more diverse population.
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