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J&J Faces 1,600 DePuy Pinnacle Hip Implant Lawsuits Amid Announcement that 10 Percent Will Fail
By Mike Holter
According to a New York Times article yesterday, doctors tracking large groups of patients with a Johnson & Johnson DePuy Pinnacle metal-on-metal hip implant estimate more than 10% of the devices will fail within the next two to three years. The high failure rate doesn’t come as a surprise to hip implant lawyers suing J&J on behalf of thousands of patients implanted with another defective J&J all-metal hip implant: the DePuy ASR. J&J recalled the device in 2010 and has set aside $3 billion to settle 3,000 DePuy ASR lawsuits — making it one of the most expensive medical device failures in U.S. history. The company faces an additional 1,600 DePuy Pinnacle hip implant lawsuits currently pending in U.S. courts.
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Nearly 500,000 patients in the U.S. have received metal-on-metal hip implants, according to government data. Of those, an estimated 150,000 received a Pinnacle hip implant and 37,000 got the ASR implant. Many patients with the DePuy Pinnacle metal-on-metal hip implant device are experiencing the same side effects as those with the DePuy ASR, including pain, swelling, limited mobility and dislocation. The most concerning side effect associated with metal-on-metal hip implants, however, is the high levels of toxic metallic particles that leak into the blood stream. As the metal-on-metal devices wear down, cobalt and chromium particles seep into the body, causing metallosis — a dangerous and extremely painful condition that can lead to cardiovascular, neurological, renal and thyroid problems, in addition to destroying soft tissue, muscle and bone. Thousands of patients experiencing these painful metal hip implant side effects are suing Johnson & Johnson for medical compensation and treatment, including revision surgeries
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DePuy ASR & Pinnacle Metal Hip Implant Lawsuits Grow
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The number of metal-on-metal hip implant lawsuits filed against J&J continues to grow. While other makers of metal hip replacement systems — such as Zimmer, Wright Medical and Biomet — face similar metal hip implant lawsuits, the number of devices involved is much smaller. The second most-used metal-on-metal hip implant involved in litigation is Biomet’s M2a Magnum Hip System.
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Experts estimate J&J could end up paying nearly $5 billion in settlements to cover Pinnacle hip implant revision surgeries alone. That’s not including money it will have to pay patients to cover other medical expenses related to failed DePuy Pinnacle hip implants. The FDA recently recommended that patients with metal-on-metal hip implants undergo regular X-rays and blood tests if they are experiencing pain and other symptoms of a failing implant. The agency also recommended that all patients with metal-on-metal hip replacement devices undergo annual X-rays to monitor their implants, regardless of symptoms.
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Patients with symptoms of a failing metal-on-metal hip implant are urged to speak with a hip implant compensation specialist who can determine if they have a case to file a metal-on-metal hip implant lawsuit. This consultation is always free. Knowing the side effects of a failing metal-on-metal hip implant is the first step.
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Metal-on-Metal Hip Implant Side Effects
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Anyone who has a metal-on metal hip implant needs to know the side effects so they can be caught and hopefully treated without resulting in death. Common metal-on-metal hip implant side effects alleged in lawsuits include:
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* premature failure of the hip implant requiring revision surgeryÂ
* dislocated hip
* leaking of toxic substances from the metal hip implant
* cancer
* degenerative heart disease or cardiomyopathy,
* loss of bone strength or structure which can result in bone fractures
* tissue death for any tissue surrounding the hip implant
* non-cancerous tumors or pseudotumors around the hip implant
* cobalt poisoning
* metallosis or metal poisoning due to chromium or cobalt particles from the hip implant
If you are experiencing these metal-on-metal hip implant side effects, you should see a doctor immediately for treatment so hip implant revision surgery can be started if necessary. If you are experiencing these symptoms, experienced some or all of these symptoms, or already had your hip implant replaced, you should speak with a metal-on-metal hip implant specialist to see if you are a good fit to file a hip implant class action lawsuit or an individual metal-on-metal hip replacement lawsuit. The medical expenses alone for metal-on-metal hip implant side effects could amount in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, and patients suffering from these side effects deserve compensation.
If you would like more information about filing a metal-on-metal hip implant class action lawsuit or would like to file an individual hip implant lawsuit, or join the DePuy hip implant lawsuit MDL just go to the Metal on Metal Hip Replacement Implant Class Action Lawsuit Investigation page. You can submit your information, or your loved ones’, to metal-on-metal hip implant attorneys who are actively investigating all claims regarding metal hip implant cancer, tumors, metal poisoning and other metal-on-metal hip implant side effects. Hip implant attorneys are waiting to talk to you now and the consultation is free. These lawyers don’t get paid unless you win or settle.
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Updated July 13th, 2012
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