Personal Injury Law

Illinois Patients Sue DePuy Orthopaedics Over Defective Hip Implants

In the wake of a voluntary product recall on August 26, DePuy Orthopaedics, a division of health care giant Johnson & Johnson, is now facing a number of class action and individual lawsuits surrounding the ASR XL Acetabular System for hip replacements. The Champaign News-Gazette reports that 13 recipients of the hip implants in Illinois have sued the manufacturer after having to endure unnecessary pain, complications and corrective surgeries that required ongoing rehabilitation.

According to the DePuy Orthopaedics website, one in eight patients who received the ASR hip replacement have had to go back under the knife for a revision surgery. Hip replacement surgeries typically require extensive recovery and rehabilitation and many of the Depuy hip implant recipients must endure this process twice because of the faulty design of the metal hip implant.

The article notes that doctors at the Carle Foundation Hospital in Champaign performed almost 300 hip replacement surgeries using the DePuy hip systems. A hospital spokeswoman said that ten percent of these patients were forced to endure a correctional surgery. A physician at the hospital recalls that the DePuy system was widely used when it was first developed because it was metal and thought to be more durable. However, two years later, he began to see a pattern of issues and discontinued use of the DePuy hip implant system.

In these cases, the root of the problem was the design of the device. Metal particles from the implant can rub off of the device over time, causing damage to the tissues surrounding the implant. When this occurs, patients experience pain and difficulty walking.

When manufacturers create faulty products and injuries occur, it is crucial that companies are held accountable for their negligence in the design, marketing and manufacturing of defective medical devices and consumer products. If you or a loved one suffered further injuries or complications due to the defective DePuy hip system, you may be entitled to compensation for your pain, suffering, economic losses or medical bills. Contact Levin & Perconti to discuss your potential case with a DePuy hip implant lawyer by phone at 877-374-1417 or by completing our online contact form. We have represented victims injured by defective medical devices and products and can help you receive fair and reasonsable compensation.

Full post as published by Illinois Injury Lawyer Blog on September 28, 2010 (boomark / email).