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Metal Hip Implant Lawsuits

If you or a loved one has had a metal-on-metal (MoM) hip implant when undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) surgery with a metal hip prosthetic device, you may be entitled to financial compensation for injuries you suffered from the device’s failure.

This includes devices manufactured by:

Metal on Metal hip prosthetics (MoM) may cause metallosis and other serious complications.

Now is the time to seek legal assistance to see if you have a case.

Hip Replacement Surgery Has Become Widespread

For a variety of reasons, including joint deterioration, people need hip replacement surgery.

These hip replacement or revision surgeries are among the most often-performed joint replacements in the U.S.

Metal on Metal hip implants were marketed as allowing users to remain active and mobile, especially for younger people needing hip surgery.  However, due to issues with metal-on-metal hip implants, it’s possible that the procedure instead leads to a long and painful medical journey.

What are Metal-on-Metal Hip Implants?

Hip replacement surgery is a procedure to replace damaged or deteriorated hip bones and replacing them with an artificial device shaped like a normal hip. The process involves:

• Removing the femoral head (ball) of the hip joint by cutting it from the femur (thighbone).
• Surgeons then attach the artificial joint to the femur with special material or cement.
• Following this, the surgeon removes any damaged cartilage from the acetabulum (hip socket) itself and attaches a new socket.
• Finally the new femoral head is inserted into the new acetabulum.

Even more problematically, with MoM hip implants, the constant friction of the two metal parts rubbing against each other was producing unintended and serious health concerns.

Officials Raise Safety Concerns Around Metal On Metal Hip Implants

Reports of injuries and health problems associated with metal-on-metal hip hip replacements has led to further investigation by government authorities and health researchers:

The British Medical Journal Reports Problems With Metal On Metal Hip Implants

In a joint investigation, the BBC News and the British Medical Journal found a link between metal-on-metal hip implants and increased levels of potentially toxic metals in patients’ bloodstreams.

These metal particles (ranging from ions to dust and shavings) can enter surrounding tissue. Metal hip implant shavings and particles can lead to:

Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration

The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration is an Austrialian government agency that performs the same duties as our FDA.

On September 27, 2016, the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration issued a Hazard Alert on Stryker LFIT Anatomic CoCr V40 femoral heads.

• These femoral heads work with Stryker’s complete product line of hip replacement devices.
• The agency’s Alert stated that some of these femoral heads had a “higher than expected incidence of taper lock failures.”
• The taper lock connects the heads to the femoral neck. The neck is the section connecting the head to the femur.

Taper Lock Failure

If the taper lock fails, the result to patients can be painful and devastating. Taper lock failure can result in:

DePuy Synthes (metal hip replacement manufacturer)

Even one of the device manufacturers got involved.

DePuy issued a recall on one of its metal-on-metal hip implants in 2010 when the company found the device had a high failure rate.

However, recent studies suggest that all metal-on-metal hip implants are subject to the same type of problems (metal particles, premature failures). This includes implants manufactured by companies other than DePuy.

While all the lab tests indicate that metal-on-metal hip implants should be less likely to show such signs of wear, as well as reducing the risk of dislocation, no one knows exactly why they don’t behave that way once implanted in patients.

Indicators That Your Metal-on-Metal Hip Replacement has Failed

The FDA has stated that any patient experiencing any of the following symptoms three or more months post-surgery may have a defective metal-on-metal hip implant:

These are more obvious problems, but they are not the only issues with which you should be concerned.

In fact, the constant metal-on-metal friction sometimes results in metal particles entering surrounding tissues and the bloodstream.

The FDA advises to be aware of the following signs of metal toxicity:

• Impaired kidney function
• Thyroid problems (weight gain, neck discomfort, fatigue, feeling cold)
• Depression, cognitive impairment or other psychological issues
• Skin rashes
• Hearing or vision impairments
• Cardiomyopathy, a condition that weakens and enlarges the heart muscle

Medical Terms to Know

Why You Should Seek Legal Assistance

Medical device litigation is often complex. You need attorneys on your side who know what they’re doing. Here at Justinian and Associates, we have that experience.

For example, many people think that once they get the defective hip replaced, they can just file a claim and go from there. Sadly, it’s not that simple for you, the injured patient.

In cases involving medical implants, judges often issue specific orders that require the removed device be kept as evidence. These orders can involve very specific requirements, which if not met, could result in the evidence being declared “spoiled.” This could endanger any legal claims you have for your injuries. Not only do these orders call for the preservation of the device, they sometimes require that the surrounding tissues be preserved as well.

Experienced medical device personal injury attorneys, such as those at Justinian and Associates, know how to work with these orders.

• Even if your metal-on-metal hip implant isn’t a DePuy ASR, but is a Biomet, Wright, Stryker or Pinnacle device, it is safe to assume that some sort of preservation order has been issued.
• Therefore, if you are facing a revision surgery, we urge you to contact Justinian and Associates to learn more about what is required.
  • Failure to follow these orders could mean serious sanctions, including the dismissal of your case.
  • We can help make all the arrangements, and pay the cost, until the case resolves.
• Even if you’ve yet to have problems with your metal-on-metal hip implant, it is advisable that you have yearly blood tests to ensure you’re not experiencing a toxic metal build-up.
  • You should seek immediate medical attention and ask for an MRI scan if you have any pain, reduced motion or swelling.

A Texas Personal Injury Law Firm That Knows What You’re Up Against 

Metal Hip Implant Injury Lawsuits Can Be Complex to Prove

Winning a mass tort lawsuit for injuries caused by metal contimination from metal-on-metal hip replacement implants can involve proving that manufacturers like Stryker or Pinnacle did not properly warn people taking it of the potential risks.

That can include investigating medical studies, corporate publications and using testimony from experts on how the medication caused an injury. This is not easily done, particularly when drug companies show up with an army of lawyers.

But battling bullies is what Justinian & Associates does. 

Your Rights Can Be Lost If You Wait

Metal-on-metal hip implant litigation is going on across the country, in many state and federal courts.

There are laws that limit how much time you have to file a lawsuit after being injured. They are known as statutes of limitation. They may apply to your lawsuit to recover for your metal hip implant injuries. The countdown may already have begun.

Additional limitations may be imposed pursuant to certain settlement agreements with the various device manufacturers.