Yesterday, Stryker agreed to settle thousands of hip cases
filed over its Rejuvenate and ABG II modular-neck implants. The agreement was
presented to Judge U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank in Minnesota. He is the
presiding judge over the Stryker MDL.
More than 5,000 people in 39 states filed product-defect
cases against Stryker over its Rejuvenate and ABG II modular-neck implants.
The two models two models are ceramic-on-metal, modular-neck femoral hip
implants. The models are different from the ASR and Pinnacle products, because
they are not metal-on-metal in the traditional ball-in-cup sense.
Around 2,100 lawsuits are currently pending in New Jersey
state court, while approximately 1,800 are pending in the MDL.
Stryker
and its hip-implant subsidiary, Howmedica Osteonics, voluntarily pulled the two
hip models off the market in 2012 after patients complained of pain and
swelling from the devices. Blood and other medical tests revealed many patients
with the implant had gotten metallosis, a toxic dose of metal in the blood
caused by fraying and erosion of the implant.
The damages in the cases are not capped, and the company’s
estimate of $1.425 billion in total payouts is considered a conservative
estimate. Only patients whose artificial hips were replaced before
Monday are eligible for the settlements, though a second round of settlements
may be announced in the future.
If you or a loved one have had hip replacement surgery and
have been implanted with a defective Stryker hip, you may be entitled to
compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages and other
injuries. Pittman, Dutton & Hellums, P.C., is currently investigating
claims for those people who have been implanted with Stryker hip replacement
devices. If you would like a free case evaluation, please contact Booth
Samuels at toll free 1-866-515-8880 or at booths@pittmandutton.com.
