Defective Hip FAQ

The replacement of a hip joint is supposed to increase mobility, decrease pain and allow you to live your life with a replacement joint that lasts 12-15 years on average. Unfortunately, some patients were promised a solution to their hip joint problems that would last longer than traditional options and that would provide enhanced mobility. This new solution, marketed especially to younger and healthier people, was a metal-on-metal hip replacement product.

A variety of different manufacturers marketed metal-on-metal hip replacements, including DePuy Orthopaedics, Smith & Nephew and Biomet. While these devices became very popular in the 2000s, today they have been recognized as dangerous medical devices and many patients are filing lawsuits to obtain compensation. If you or a loved one was hurt by a defective hip replacement product and you wish to understand your legal rights or potentially pursue a claim, you can contact the Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers to schedule a free case evaluation. You can also review the defective hip FAQ below for more information.

Metal-on-metal hip implants have generally been demonstrated to preset a risk to patients. Specific manufacturers whose products have been recalled and/or who have had numerous reports of adverse events made include DePuy Orthopaedics, Zimmer Holdings, Smith & Nephew, Biomet Inc., and Wright Medical Technology.

Metal-on-metal hip implant products have proven to be extremely dangerous. The metal components can rub against each other in the body as you move. Metal flakes can come off of the metal components, resulting in serious health issues including metallosis. However, metal-on-metal hip replacement products are not the only ones that can pose a risk to patients. Certain ceramic Stryker-brand hip implants have also caused complications and have a high failure rate.

Defective hip implant products cause a variety of symptoms including pain; limited mobility; infection; metallosis; the formation of pseudo-tumors; bone loss; and aseptic loosening (a loosening of the components in the hip replacement products).

Not every metal-on-metal hip implant fails and some patients have potentially-defective hip implant products implanted and experience no complications. In other cases, however, patients will require revision surgery within five years of their original procedure to correct problems caused by the defective hip replacement product. The different brands and models of hip replacement products have varying failure rates. For example, some estimates indicate that as many as 40 percent of DePuy Orthopaedics hip replacement products will fail within the first five years.

Revision surgery is generally required in order to replace a defective hip implant that has failed. In some cases, multiple surgical procedures may be required to remove the defective hip implant from the body and to replace with a new healthy hip joint. Some of the complications associated with defective hip implants, including bone loss due to metal ions in the body, may not be reversible and the consequences of the defective hip implant product can be long-lasting.

If you have a hip replacement and you are experiencing complications, it is important to speak with a doctor right away to get the necessary treatment and to explore your options for resolving your health issues. You should also contact an experienced attorney for help making a product liability claim against the manufacturer of the defective medical device that has harmed you.

Manufacturers of any type of product are required to make sure their products are safe and to warn customers of any potential harm. Many of the manufacturers of metal-on-metal hip implants and other defective hip replacement products failed to conduct appropriate testing and failed to warn patients and doctors of the risks presented.

Any time a manufacturer produces a dangerous product, the manufacturer can be held strictly liable for injuries caused by the product when used as intended. This is true in the cases of defective medical devices as well. This means that even if an injured patient doesn’t prove a manufacturer was negligent in failing to test the product or warn the public, the patient could still recover compensation. There is no requirement to prove negligence at all in strict liability cases; it is enough to show that the defendant manufacturer’s product caused harm.

There are many cases pending against manufacturers of defective hip implants already, and your case may become part of a multi-district litigation. It also may settle outside of court or you may go to trial and prove your claim. Knowing the best course of action to take can be difficult and you need an experienced and caring Boston defective hip implants lawyer to help you understand your rights and pursue a claim for monetary compensation. Give Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers a call today or contact us online to schedule a no-obligation case evaluation.