In the first three of about 8,000 DePuy hip implant lawsuits that it is facing, Johnson & Johnson has consented to pay approximately $600,000 to resolve the cases, which were filed by Nevada plaintiffs. Each ASR hip implant case will cost the medical device manufacturer about $200,000. All three products liability complaints had been scheduled to go to trial before the end of the year.
The plaintiffs, 74-year-old Annelise Rundle, 60-year-old Katherine Guy, and 69-year-old Martha Bender, were all implanted with their ASR hip replacements by the same surgeon. These devices later had to be removed and they underwent hip revision surgery. Considering that a first implant procedure already can be rife with potential risks and health complications, followed by a possibly challenging recovery time, to have to undergo a similar procedure so soon after can take a toll.
In Massachusetts, our Boston DePuy hip implant attorneys represent plaintiffs that have suffered health complications because their artificial hip failed or malfunctioned in some other way. DePuy ASR implant failures can cause bone damage, metal-related complications, muscle damage, nervous system damage, bone strain, necrosis, and other problems.
Many of the thousands of lawsuits against J & J came after its DePuy unit announced a 2010 global recall of 93,000 ASR artificial hip devices because of concerns that over 12% of these products had failed within five year of implant. That is just too short a time for this type of device. In BloombergBusinessweek, University of Michigan business professor Eric Gordon is quoted as saying that these first three settlements that J & J has agreed to are financially at the low end.
Signs your DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System or ASR XL Acetabular System may be failing:
• Dead tissue close to the thigh • Ongoing pain in the hip, leg, low back, or groin • Feeling like your hip isn’t in place • The sound of clacking or clicking coming from the device • A decline in your ability to engage in physical activities • Severe pain
J&J Said to Pay $600,000 to Settle First Suits Over Hips, BloombergBusinessweek, August 21, 2012
Johnson & Johnson Recalls Hip Implants, The New York Times, August 26, 2010
More Blog Posts:
Defective Medical Device?: DePuy Hip Replacement Recall Leads to Products Liability Lawsuits, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, September 29, 2010
Hip Implants: Study Examines Whether New Coating Could Prevent Failure, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, April 28, 2012
Zimmer KnexGen and DePuy Knee Implants Linked to Patient Injuries, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, August 6, 2012