Sunday, August 26th, was the 2nd anniversary of Johnson & Johnson’s recall of DePuy ASR hip replacement devices. The devices, which are metal-on-metal, were initially supposed to be stronger and more reliable than other materials, such as plastic and ceramic. However, it was discovered that the devices had a very high failure rate – 49% up to 6 years after surgery – and also caused dangerous side effects, such as joint pain, tissue deterioration, and metallosis.
Over 6,000 lawsuits have been filed against DePuy in the last two years, for both ASR and Pinnacle hip replacement devices. Because of the number of lawsuits, two MDLs were created to streamline information gathering about the cases. The first trials for either MDL are scheduled for 2013.
In 2010, 93,000 devices were recalled, and 37,000 patients received a letter from Johnson & Johnson notifying them that the artificial hips they’d received had been recalled. According to the National Joint Registery of England and Wales, 1 out of every 8 patients who received the ASR hip implants had to undergo revision surgery within 5 years.
Although no court has yet ruled on the official statute of limitations – each state has different laws regarding lawsuit statutes of limitations – lawyers for DePuy may argue that the statute of limitations is two years. That means that all lawsuits after the 26th may be inadmissible into the MDLs.
However, if you or a loved one has received a DePuy ASR or Pinnacle hip replacement device, and you have since suffered dangerous side effects from the device, you should still seek help. The experienced lawyers at the Strom Law Firm specialize in defective device law, and are accepting cases against DePuy nationwide. We offer free consultations to help get you on the right path, so contact us today. 803.252.4800.
