New Hip Replacement Settlement in Place

There is good news for a number of families recently, as an agreement was announced in a case against the Stryker Company. The organization that specializes in manufacturing medical equipment is well known for advancements in joint replacement options. However, the Rejuvinate and ABG II Modular Systems will likely be looked at as a major blemish on their reputation for many years to come. The hip replacements were shown to begin to corrode while in the body. This led to many of the patients receiving the devices to suffer metal poisoning, as the metal bit leached into the blood, bone, and tissue of the patients. The effects of this included severe, sharp, debilitating pain that would shoot down the leg and into the foot. Additionally, the metal poisoning killed otherwise healthy tissue in the body, led to kidney function failure, thyroid complications, serious rashes, hearing and vision impairment, and a host of other serious health concerns.

The need for a recall was obvious, and it was made in July of 2012. Meanwhile, however, many patients had already been outfitted with the hip replacements and were forced to undergo a second round of surgery in order to receive a safer alternative. Those who had fallen ill, as a result of the metal poisoning, were not always deemed viable surgery candidates. That is to say that the risk of surgery, in some cases was simply too great.

This settlement, which is thought to be valued at about $1.4billion, though some believe the total will quickly grow as more patients undergo the corrective procedures needed to remove and replace the faulty medical equipment. It certainly isn’t a mistake they are likely to easily forget. This will, hopefully, serve as a reminder to manufacturers to properly test and check every piece of equipment before allowing the use in patients. If you are among those that received a bad replacement, seek immediate medical assistance and discuss your options with a personal injury attorney.