Settlement Agreement Reached in Stryker Rejuvenate Hip Implant Lawsuit
Another Stryker hip implant lawsuit filed over the company’s recalled Rejuvenate hip replacement system has been settled.
An agreement has been reached to settle at least one more Stryker Rejuvenate hip implant lawsuit during the early stages of litigation, which means that five of the eight cases involved in the court-ordered mediation process have been resolved so far. However, Stryker still faces roughly 1,200 product liability lawsuits filed on behalf of patients who suffered serious complications after receiving a Stryker Rejuvenate or ABG II modular hip implant, both of which were recalled in July 2012 due to the potential for the devices to fail within a few years of being implanted. If you believe you have been adversely affected by a defective hip replacement system like the Stryker Rejuvenate or ABG II implant, consult a product liability lawyer in your area who has experience handling defective hip implant claims.
Lawsuits Filed Over Defective Hip Complications
About half of the hip implant lawsuits filed against Stryker are pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, where the complaints have been centralized for pretrial proceedings as part of a multidistrict litigation (MDL). The other half of the cases are pending in state court in New Jersey, where Stryker’s parent company Howmedica Osteonics Corp. has its headquarters. The New Jersey litigation has also been centralized for pretrial proceedings, with the product liability cases consolidated before Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Bergen County. In an effort to determine whether or not the Stryker hip implant cases can be resolved without launching a lengthy and expensive litigation, Judge Martinotti established a mediation process last year in the New Jersey litigation. According to reports, eight mediations have already been completed, with five of the cases reaching settlement agreements.
Possible Side Effects of Stryker Hip Implants
Serious concerns have been raised recently about the safety of hip replacement systems, especially metal-on-metal implants that have been associated with a higher-than-expected rate of failure due to abnormal corrosion, fretting and wear. As a result of design problems affecting Stryker hip implants, patients who received the devices may be at risk for complications like:
- Metallosis (metal blood poisoning)
- Corrosion of the implant
- Loosening or dislocation of the implant
- Pain, swelling or inflammation around the implant
- Local tissue reactions
- Need for hip revision surgery
Consult an Experienced Hip Implant Lawyer in Your Area
Before the Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG II hip implants were removed from the market in July 2012, at least 20,000 components were sold to customers, and several thousand cases are expected to be filed in state and federal courts nationwide as Stryker hips continue to fail. If you received a Stryker Rejuvenate or ABG II hip implant, and you have since suffered from side effects like metallosis or hip implant failure requiring revision surgery, our consumer advocates at the Leading Justice can help. We are dedicated to protecting the rights of consumers harmed by defective products, and can help put you in touch with a product liability attorney who has experience handling defective hip implant lawsuits in your area.
