DePuy Pinnacle Hip Replacement

Experienced Florida Depuy Pinnacle Hip Replacement Attorney Helps Clients Obtain Compensation for Catastrophic Injuries

In 2010, medical device manufacturer DePuy announced the recall of every one of its ASR Hip Implant devices—roughly 90,000 of them—sold since 2003. According to news reports, DePuy did so after discovering that 37% of the devices tended to fail in less than five years.

Unfortunately, injuries sustained by recipients of these devices require them to undergo additional surgery to remove and replace the implant. These surgeries, known as revision surgeries, are often more complicated than the initial implant surgery, and have additional risks.

A growing amount of evidence indicates that another of DePuy’s artificial hip devices, the Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System, poses many of the same risks.

At GS Law PA, our dedicated Florida product liability attorney, Geoffrey S. Schosheim, is ready to help Floridians and patients nationwide who have suffered injuries associated with the implantation of a metal-on-metal hip prosthesis, whether or not that particular implant has been recalled by its manufacturer.

What kinds of problems are associated with the DePuy Pinnacle implant?

Metal-on-metal hip implant devices such as Pinnacle have come under fire due to both their health risks and high failure rate. Although touted to last longer and resist wear and tear, making the prosthetic ideal for younger, more active recipients, a number of problems associated with such implants have been reported including:

  • Loosening of the implant, due to osteolysis (bone loss) or fracture near the implant site
  • Unexplained pain, swelling, or numbness in the affected area
  • An unexplained loss of user mobility, including sudden difficulty with standing and/or walking

Hip implant recipients experiencing any of these symptoms are encouraged to seek medical treatment, as such symptoms can indicate device failure. If you have received a DePuy Pinnacle or ASR hip implant, our skilled Florida DePuy hip implant attorney urges you to consult with your doctor, even if you have not yet experienced any of the symptoms, as these health issues can sometimes take time to manifest.

What is the problem with these implants?

Experts believe that these problems are caused by the metal components of the device wearing against one another and, over time, causing tiny slivers of metal to rub off of components and enter the surrounding bloodstream, tissue and bone. As these metal particles build up inside the body, the results can range from negative immunological reactions by patients with metal sensitivity, to adverse local reaction which can cause the premature death of surrounding tissue and bone.

To make matters worse, this tendency to shed metal can also cause weakening of the bone to which the implant has been fixed, causing implant failure—which can only be remedied by more surgery. While the normal life expectancy of implants using component combinations of metal, ceramic and plastic is roughly fifteen to twenty years, one study has indicated that more than one out of every three ASR hip implants failed within five years.
Surgery to replace hip implants has numerous risks and potential complications exceeding that of the original implant surgery. Many physicians chose these implants precisely to avoid these issues.

If I have received a DePuy Pinnacle implant, what should I do?

Metal-on-metal hip implant manufacturers such as DePuy have already settled thousands of lawsuits from injured people and their families, and a growing number of lawsuits are filed each day. These lawsuits allege that the manufacturers marketed their products as safe and durable while knowing that the product was neither, and have sought damages for pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost income and more. In fact, DePuy has already agreed to pay $2.5 billion dollars to settle roughly 7,500 of the ASR lawsuits.

If you have been injured by a DePuy Pinnacle or ASR hip implant, contact an experienced Florida defective medical device attorney today

If you have received a DePuy Pinnacle or ASR hip implant, or any other brand of metal-on-metal implant, the knowledgeable Florida hip implant attorney, Geoffrey S. Schosheim, at GS Law PA stands ready to help. We pride ourselves on staying up-to-date with all the latest medical findings and legal developments, and are prepared to start your case immediately. Call or contact our Boca Raton office today at (561) 706-5503 for a free initial consultation. You may already qualify for a settlement.

Contact Us Today!

Geoffrey S. Schosheim, Esq.

7777 Glades Rd, Suite 100 Boca Raton, FL 33434

(561) 706-5503

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