What to Know About Hip Replacement Lawsuits
Individuals who have suffered injuries and complications after hip replacement surgery are filing lawsuits against the manufacturers of failed hip replacement systems.
Hip replacement implants are designed to improve the health and living quality of people with severe joint fractures or damage.
A hip arthroplasty or hip replacement surgery is a procedure to repair an injured or diseased hip joint, especially in people with osteoarthritis.
What to Know About Hip Replacement Lawsuits
Individuals who have suffered injuries and complications after hip replacement surgery are filing lawsuits against the manufacturers of failed hip replacement systems.
Hip replacement implants are designed to improve the health and living quality of people with severe joint fractures or damage.
A hip arthroplasty or hip replacement surgery is a procedure to repair an injured or diseased hip joint, especially in people with osteoarthritis.
Fractures or wear and tear due to aging can also necessitate hip replacement surgery. Most patients who undergo this procedure are fitted with artificial metal-on-metal implants.
Plaintiffs in hip replacement cases claim that defective hip replacement implants caused severe issues that required another surgery for faulty device replacement.
They allege that the devices were poorly manufactured or tested, leading to adverse side effects and complications.
Thousands of lawsuits have been filed against manufacturers of these faulty hip replacement devices, many of which are being consolidated into separate mass litigations.
Since 2008, hip implant makers have paid over $7 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits involving defective devices.
You may qualify for a medical injury lawsuit if you have experienced adverse effects due to a hip replacement surgery.
Why Are Hip Replacement Lawsuits Being Filed?
Over 300,000 hip replacement surgeries are performed annually to replace damaged or worn-out joints.
Most of these surgeries are successful – they relieve pain, restore functioning and improve the individual’s overall life quality.
However, thousands of patients have also experienced adverse effects due to poorly structured or defective implants.
Most hip replacement cases involve metal-on-metal designs. Nonetheless, other complications stem from parts of hip replacement systems like polyethylene liners.
Bone damage or osteolysis can also occur due to hip replacement surgery. Implant materials can degrade, causing debris accumulation in joint tissues that leads to inflammation which can cause degeneration of bone tissues.
Metal-on-metal implants were designed to be durable. However, plaintiffs allege that they shed microscopic quantities of cobalt, chromium, and other metals into the body. This flaw is responsible for metallosis and other complications of hip replacement implants.
The complications linked to defective hip replacement implants include:
Metallosis
Metallosis occurs due to the buildup and shedding of metal debris. This scenario happens when metal joint replacement devices rub against each other during normal movement.
The debris is released into the bloodstream, bone, and tissue surrounding the implant. This buildup can lead to painful inflammation and bone tissue death.
Some metals like cobalt can also affect organs like the eyes, brain, and heart.
The symptoms of metallosis include hip or groin pain, inflammation, weakness, and posture change.
Metallosis treatment usually involves revision surgery to remove and replace the defective implant.
Hip Implant Failure
Premature hip implant failure due to a defective design causes severe pain and injury to surrounding muscles and tissues.
Patients who develop hip implant failure often require revision surgery to remove and replace the defective implants with new ones.
Symptoms of hip implant failure include:
- Severe pain
- Implant dislocation or loosening
- Inflamed thigh, hip, or groin
- Infections
- Hip bone fracture
- Difficulty standing, walking, or lifting heavy objects
- Clicking, grinding, or popping around the hip implant
- Uneven leg length
- Bone loss due to device loosening
- Metallosis
- Osteolysis (gradual degradation and thinning of bone, leading to pain and potential fractures)
- Tissue inflammation
- Rash due to cell death or necrosis
- Pseudotumors (tumor-like inflamed cells containing collected fluids)
Defendants in the Hip Replacement Lawsuits
Defendants in hip replacement lawsuits are producers of the defective implants. Six companies are listed as defendants in the largest lawsuits.
Notable mentions include:
Stryker Corporation
Stryker Corporation is a Michigan-based medical tech firm that produces implants used in joint replacement and trauma surgeries.
Some Stryker’s products are involved in ongoing hip replacement litigation.
In 2014, the entity agreed to settle lawsuits involving its Rejuvenate and ABG II hip implants for $1.42 billion. The settlement issued financial compensation for past and future damages (revision surgeries inclusive).
In 2016, Stryker quietly recalled more than 42,500 V40 Femoral Head components due to numerous reports of adverse effects.
Stryker also agreed to settle a Multi-district Litigation (MDL) for cases involving its LFIT V40 hip component in 2018.
The firm also published a Product Safety Notification informing the public about concerns with its LFIT V40 Femoral Head. This report indicated that the company received abnormal amounts of injury complaints due to hip stem/femoral head dissociation.
Lawyers are currently accepting lawsuits involving the implant maker’s Tritanium Acetabular Shells.
Stryker Corporation Hips Involved in Lawsuits
- Rejuvenate and ABG II hip replacement
- Tritanium Acetabular Shells
- LFIT V40 Femoral Head
Smith & Nephew
Smith & Nephew is a British medical manufacturer that creates products for wound management, arthroscopy, orthopedic surgery, trauma, and clinical therapy.
The firm has been subject to an MDL involving its R3 Acetabular System and Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) implants since 2017.
Plaintiffs allege that the manufacturer was aware of the risks associated with its BHR implants but failed to inform clients and healthcare providers until it was too late to avoid the product.
Over 600 cases have been filed, with hundreds more pending.
No verdicts or settlements have been reached as the case is still in its early stages.
Smith & Nephew Hips Named in Lawsuits
- Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) System
- R3 Acetabular System
- Redapt Revision Femoral System
- Modular SMF
- Emperion Hip System
DePuy Orthopedics
DePuy is a subsidiary of healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson. The firm manufactures medical equipment for reconstructing damaged joints.
Additionally, DePuy develops devices for repairing and reconstructing traumatic skeletal injuries.
Between 2013 and 2015, DePuy settled over 9,500 lawsuits involving its ASR hip replacement implant for $4.42 billion.
Plaintiffs in lawsuits against DePuy allege that the firm was aware of problems with its implants but did nothing for years. These lawsuits also accuse the company of putting profit over customer safety after surgeons had warned the company to stop selling its ASR hips.
DePuy’s Pinnacle hip replacement implant has become the subject of a litigation appeal after a law court in the Northern District of Texas dismissed a $502 million verdict against the company.
DePuy Orthopedics Hips Named in Lawsuits
- ASR hip implant
- Pinnacle hip implant
Zimmer Biomet
Zimmer manufactures orthopedic products including artificial joints for knee, hip, elbow, and shoulder replacements.
The company merged with Biomet in 2015, and has been subject to lawsuits involving its hip implants.
Zimmer settled an Multidistrict Litigation involving its Durom Cup implant for $314 million in 2018. There are still pending cases in the Southern District of New York over variations of Zimmer’s Taper Hip Prosthesis used with its Versys Femoral Head.
Between 2013 and 2015, Biomet settled lawsuits involving its M2a Magnum Hip Replacement implant for about $85.4 million.
Hundreds of cases are still pending in the MDL.
Zimmer Biomet Hips Named in Lawsuits
- Durom Cup
- M/L Taper Hip Prosthesis and Versys Femoral Head
Wright Medical
Stryker acquired Wright Medical in 2020, but the hip manufacturer faces lawsuits over its Dynasty, Lineage, and Conserve hip replacement components.
A 2016 review showed the company’s Conserve hip had a high failure rate. The firm no longer creates hip implants and has agreed to a $330 million settlement to resolve hundreds of lawsuits alleging metallosis and device loosening.
Wright Medical Hips Named in Lawsuits
- Dynasty hip implants
- Lineage hip implants
- Conserve Total A-Class Advanced Metal hip implant system
- Conserve Total hip implant system
- Conserve resurfacing system
- Profemur system
Exactech
Exactech is being sued for injuries due to its defective inserts and liners, including the Connexion GXL hip liner.
In 2021, the medical device manufacturer initiated a settlement for patients who experienced osteolysis and premature wear from its hip replacement systems.
However, affected patients continue to file suits against the company for its faulty Acumatch, Novation GXL, and MCS liners.
Exactech Hips Named in Lawsuits
- Connexion GXL hip liner
- Novation GXL
- Acumatch
- MCS liner
- THIS IS AN ACTIVE LAWSUIT
Eligibility Prerequisites to File a Hip Replacement Lawsuit
You may be eligible to file a hip replacement lawsuit if you have suffered complications like pain, infections, metallosis, or severe instability after a hip replacement procedure using an implant made by any of the listed manufacturers.
You may also qualify for a replacement surgery if you had revision surgery or a doctor has recommended revision surgery due to your complications.
Hip Replacement Lawsuit Information: Issued Settlements
Notable settlements on hip replacement cases include:
Stryker Agrees to Settle LFIT V40 Lawsuits
In 2018, Stryker reached a confidential agreement with patients affected by its defective implants.
The agreement also covers the total cost of future injuries that may arise due to Stryker’s hip implants.
According to the company, settlement amounts will depend on: “The number of an actual cause of patients seeking testing and treatment services, the number of an actual cost of patients requiring revision surgeries, the number of an actual cost to settle lawsuits filed against us, and the number of third-party insurance recoveries.”
DePuy Has Paid Over $4 Billion to Settle Lawsuits Involving Its Implants
In 2019, DePuy agreed to pay nearly $800 million to settle 6,000 litigations involving its Pinnacle hip replacement implant.
Although settlement details weren’t publicly announced, the firm reached separate agreements with lawyers representing thousands of clients.
This settlement followed three verdicts against DePuy totaling over $1.7 billion, which were reduced on appeal to about $800 million.
DePuy also settled over 10,000 cases involving its ASR XL Acetabular System and ASR Hip Resurfacing System for $2.9 billion. The company reached an initial $2.5 billion agreement in 2013 and agreed to a $420 million extension in 2015 to settle lawsuits not in the initial settlement.
Additionally, DePuy has agreed to pay $120 million to resolve deceptive marketing claims by attorneys from several US states over the company’s metal-on-metal hip implants.
Claimants alleged that DePuy engaged in unfair and misleading practices in promoting its ASR XL and Pinnacle hip implant devices.
Wright Medical’s $330 Million Hip Replacement Settlement
In 2016, Wright Medical paid $240 million to resolve over a thousand cases over its Dynasty, Conserve, and Lineage hip replacement implants.
The manufacturer settled another 600 cases in 2017 for $89.75 million.
How Much Can Plaintiffs in Hip Replacement Lawsuits Expect to Receive as Settlement?
Putting a dollar value on lawsuits isn’t straightforward. Hip replacement surgery is an invasive procedure, and lawyers expect most litigations to be settled between $125,000 and $600,000.
However, the exact settlement value depends on your complications’ severity and whether or not you’ve had revision surgery.
Questions to Expect From Your Attorney
When you meet your attorney, you will have to answer some questions.
These answers give your lawyer a clear picture of your situation.
Thus, they can help you build a rock-solid case.
Notable queries include:
When Did You Undergo Your First Hip Replacement Surgery?
Statutes of limitations apply to filing a hip replacement lawsuit, depending on your state. You won’t be eligible to file a case if the statute of limitations on your case has elapsed.
What Complications Do You Experience From Your Hip Implants?
A successful hip implant procedure offers pain relief, restores functioning, and improves mobility.
Complications can cause the return of previous symptoms and cause issues like metallosis, fractures, dislocation, and leg length discrepancy.
When Did You First Experience Complications?
You may experience hip complications during surgery, soon after, or many years later. Your attorney will need this information when building your case.
Have You Had Revision Surgery for Your Complications?
Revision surgery is done to replace or compensate for a defective or failed implant.
It is a more complicated, riskier procedure and requires more skill and experience. Revision surgery can lead to severe complications such as dislocations, fractures, device loosening, and blood clots if done improperly.
If you’ve had revision surgery or have it scheduled, you may have a stronger lawsuit and be entitled to higher compensation.
Who Manufactured the Hip Replacement Implant?
Stryker Corporation, Smith & Nephew, DePuy, Zimmer Biomet, Wright Medical, and Exactech are producers named in the hip replacement lawsuits. You can check your medical records or contact your surgeon if you are not sure of the maker of your hip implant.
- THIS IS AN ACTIVE LAWSUIT
Major Takeaway
If you’ve suffered severe injuries due to complications from a hip replacement implant, it is time to take legal action against those responsible.
Medical liability attorneys will offer a no-obligation case consultation to discuss your compensation claim.
You’ll only have to pay for their legal expertise after you receive a settlement.
On This Page
- What to Know About Hip Replacement Lawsuits
- Why Are Hip Replacement Lawsuits Being Filed?
- Defendants in the Hip Replacement Lawsuits
- Eligibility Prerequisites to File a Hip Replacement Lawsuit
- Hip Replacement Lawsuit Information: Issued Settlements
- How Much Can Plaintiffs in Hip Replacement Lawsuits Expect to Receive as Settlement?
- Major Takeaway
This is an active lawsuit.
Individuals affected by this particular product or chemical are currently filing lawsuits.