Victims of defective medical devices often struggle with their injuries, as they can lead to costly rehabilitation and therapy. This is especially true if their cases involve joint replacement, which is an already unpleasant process.
Recently, Stryker announced that it would pay at least $1.43 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits from patients who had to have surgery to remove defective hip implants. The agreement was made in a New Jersey Superior Court.
According to ABC News, the two Stryker hip implants involved in the cases were recalled due to corrosion and other problems, including tissue reactions. There were also reports of victims having metal ions entering their blood streams because of the alleged corrosion.
It should be noted that last year, in a similar case, Johnson & Johnson agreed to pay $2.5 billion to settle 8,000 lawsuits from patients who said the company’s metal ball-and-socket hip implants were defective.
Stryker said it plans to make recovery payments to victims by the end of 2015.
Should I talk to an Attorney If I’m Injured by a Medical Device?
If you are ever injured by a defective medical device, you should contact our attorneys. This can include instances where a product suffers from design, engineering and manufacturing errors.
As this case shows, defective product litigation can result in substantial settlements. Let Barry S. Kantrowitz help you with his expertise as a successful trial lawyer. Call us toll free at (800) 711-5258 or fill out the form on our website to schedule a consultation.
Kantrowitz, Goldhamer & Graifman, P.C. – Injury Lawyers
KGG’s Corner: About 175,000 hip replacements are performed annually in the U.S.