DEPUY HIP IMPLANT REPLACEMENT
If you or a friend or family member have had hip replacement surgery and have been harmed by a DePuy hip implant, please consult with Clarence immediately at (601)991-1099. You need to move fast so Clarence can get to work to preserve your claim.
The situation
DePuy Orthopaedics Inc., a unit of Johnson & Johnson, recalled its ASR XL Acetabular System and DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System, Aug. 26, 2010, due to early system failures. The Associated Press reports this is the 11th Johnson & Johnson recall since last September, and it covers roughly 93,000 metal-on-metal hip implant devices. This most recent recall is based on early failures of their hip implant devices. According to reports, about 13 percent – approximately 1 in 8 – of people who had a ASR total hip replacement have needed to undergo replacement surgery within five years. And approximately 12 percent of people who received the ASR resurfacing device (outside of the U.S.) needed to have the device removed within five years.
These defective devices have a high risk and likelihood of forcing you to have additional or revision surgery to replace the original implant.
What are the symptoms of a Defective Hip Implant?
- Pain (can be intense)
- Swelling
- Difficulty walking or moving your hip joint
These symptoms are natural immediately following hip replacement surgery. If the symptoms continue or return, however, then you may have a problem.
What might be causing the problems:
The litigation on these implants is ongoing, and there is much work to be done, but hip implant problems may be caused by some, or all, of the following reasons:
- Loosening –the implant does not stay attached to the bone in the correct position
- Fracture – the bone around the implant may have broken
- Dislocation – the two parts of the implant that move against each other are no longer aligned
- Metal-on-metal wearing – the ASR is a metal-on-metal device, and experts believe it may generate an excessive amount of metallic debris as it wears. This pure metal debris can get into the surrounding living tissue and cause inflammation, fluid collection, and damage to muscles, nerves and other soft tissue around the joint.
Depuy has contacted me and is offering to pay. Why do I need a Lawyer?
Some people have been contacted directly by the company, and DePuy is offering to pay for what they deem “reasonable and customary” medical expenses. Think about the fine print, though. This does NOT include your pain, suffering, time off from work, disfigurement from surgery scars, and other losses that they won’t take into account. They may want to choose your surgeon. They may want you to submit everything to your insurance first before they pay. Before you sign anything discuss your options with a lawyer.
What You Should Do:
If you have received a DePuy ASR hip replacement since 2003 or suspect that your hip replacement implant may be a part of this DePuy recall, or if you receive a letter from Depuy or Johnson & Johnson, you should do two things:
- Contact your doctor or the hospital where you had your hip surgery performed to confirm whether your implant is the type affected by this recall.
- Contact Clarence immediately at 601-991-1099 or clarence@guthriefirm.com to review your case and discuss your rights.
