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DePuy hip replacement recall means tidal wave of cases

On Behalf of | Sep 23, 2010 | Drug & Medical Device Injuries |

If you are experiencing pain or suffering from a defective medical device,  it’s wise to consult an attorney. For answers about legal issues in this article or with your own malfunctioning medical product, call me directly for help – Lawrence Egerton, 336-273-0508, or e-mail me at [email protected].

The number of people affected by the DePuy hip replacement recall is astonishing – 93,000 patients – equal to the population of a good-size city. It can be compared to something like an earthquake or a hurricane – except this is no natural disaster.

If you have had a hip replacement and are experiencing pain, you may need the help of a hip-replacement attorney. You may have a claim for injury similar to a California lawsuit, filed August 30, that I will discuss below.

These are the facts of the recall:

On August 26, 2010, the DePuy Orthopaedics company, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, issued a voluntary recall of two hip replacement systems. The company stated that: “This recall means additional testing and treatment may be necessary to ensure the hip is functioning well.

The hip implants are known as the ASR XL Acetabular System and DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System.

“In some cases, patients may need additional surgery.” According to information from DePuy, this recall affects people who had hip replacement surgery since June 2003. The additional surgery is also referred to as “revision surgery.”

In the lawsuit in California, Johnson & Johnson was sued by a construction worker, Maurice Brigham, who had been implanted with two of the Acetabular hip-replacement devices that the drugmaker stopped selling last month after defect reports surfaced.

As reported in this news article, the lawsuit states that officials of J&J’s DePuy Orthopaedics unit knew for years many of the 93,000 patients with ASR hip implants required corrective surgeries due to the mechanisms’ defects.

“For more than two years, defendants have known the ASR Hip Implant Devices were failing early and causing harm in a high number of patients,” Brigham’s attorneys said in the suit, filed in San Francisco.

Brigham, a heavy-equipment operator, received the implants in 2007. He had one of the devices removed last month, but hasn’t been able to get a replacement, the suit said, which has left him unable to walk.

A huge surge of litigation over this recall is bound to ensue. If you are affected by this recall, contact the Egerton Law firm and get help.

Has your life been disrupted by problems with a malfunctioning medical product? Do you or someone you know need the advice of a lawyer specializing in defective medical devices? You can get help at the Egerton Law website. The Egerton Law firm and its personal injury attorneys want to help you. Call us at 336-273-0508. E-mail us at [email protected]

Facts about the Egerton Law firm:

• We have built a tradition of helping injured people and their families since the firm was established in 1956.

• We have handled cases in North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, New York, the District of Columbia, the North Carolina Supreme Court, and U.S. District Court. We have fought cases all the way to the United States Supreme Court.

• Our team of lawyers are dedicated to fighting insurance companies and corporate giants that seek to increase their bottom line at the expense of injured people.

Are you being:

• Pressured to agree to reimbursement for “reasonable” or “out-of-pocket” medical expenses?

• Pressured to sign document you don’t understand? (Don’t sign anything without consulting us.)

• Told to submit bills for medical services to your insurance company or Medicare, and you will be reimbursed later?

Take action and help us to help you. Call or email: 336-273-0508[email protected]. We can advise you on whether you have a case and the process for getting medical care. You will always speak to an attorney on your first call.