National Total of All-Metal Hip Implant Personal Injury Cases Against Stryker Device Hits 1,000
Last year, Stryker Orthopedics recalled their Rejuvenate and ABG II modular-neck all-metal hip replacement devices due to device failure and injury to patients. Several personal injury lawsuits had been filed against the company, and now the number of lawsuits has reached 1,000 – about 430 of those lawsuits are in the multidistrict litigation (MDL) in New Jersey. About 350 of the other complaints are being coordinated into an MDL in Minnesota.
About 20,000 Stryker all-metal hip devices were sold in the US, after the hip implant was approved for use in 2010.
In the MDL, ten cases were recently chosen for mediation – six by the Court, and two each by the plaintiffs and the defense. Phase I mediation is scheduled to take place no later than December 15th of this year.
Mediation in legal procedures involves the two parties coming together with a neutral third party to find a solution to the disagreement.
If mediation in the Stryker MDL does not result in a settlement offer, then bellwether cases will be chosen, to test how juries might respond to the claims of personal injury.
Plaintiffs claim that Stryker did not provide adequate warning about the potential risks associated with devices, prior to the 2012 voluntary recall. Although Stryker has acknowledged the higher-than-acceptable failure rate, the company initially advertised that their all-metal hip implants would last from 15 to 20 years. Unfortunately, like their recently-settled counterpart DePuy Orthopedics, the Stryker all-metal hip devices fail catastrophically within the first five years, leading to severe pain, tissue damage, infection, and metallosis, among other symptoms. The devices frequently required revision surgery.
Stryker has estimated that the total amount to settle just the personal injury lawsuits involving the Rejuvenate device may exceed $1 billion.
Stryker’s Recalled Devices
Stryker’s all-metal hip devices use what is called a modular neck-stem, which consists of two pieces that allow the orthopedic surgeon to customize the length of the femoral component. Although the design was touted for its convenience and customizability, the joint can cause the two metal pieces of the device to rub together, leading to metal debris when the chromium-cobalt neck grinds against the titanium femoral stem.
The following Stryker Hip Replacement Devices and other products may have manufacturing defects according to the FDA.
- Trident PSL Acetabular Shells
- ReUnion Plasma Spray Humeral Stem
- Solar Plasma Purefix HA Shoulder Stems
- Duracon Toatal Knee Modular Femoral Component
- Global Modular Hip Stems
- Trident PSL HA Solid Black 52 MM
- Trident Hemispherical Cluster 50 MM
- Hip Implant components with ceramic bearing components
The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Stryker Personal Injury Cases
The defective product lawyers at The Strom Law Firm, LLC are at the forefront of the fight to protect the public and will stand up for your rights against the big drug and insurance companies. We will fight to ensure that you and your loved ones receive the justice you deserve. Contact our defective drug and wrongful death attorneys at the Strom Law Firm, LLC today for a free consultation to discuss the facts of your Stryker personal injury case as well as your legal rights. 803.252.4800
