Complaints About Defective Hip Implants Surge As Problem Is Studied
In another news item that will come as no surprise to Florida residents or Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham, the federal government reports that it has received a surge of complaints in recent months about failed hip replacement devices. Researchers are still studying the dangers of some models of artificial hip devices, particularly metal-on-metal types, but early indications suggest persistent and very serious health consequences in association with faulty artificial hips. The Food and Drug Administration has reportedly received more than 5,000 complaints about metal-on-metal hips since January, more than the FDA has received about hip devices in the previous four years combined.
This suggests what other studies of metal-on-metal artificial hips have found – that these types of devices begin to deteriorate soon after they are implanted and that the deterioration accelerates over time. Most hip replacement devices are designed to last 15 or more years without needing to be replaced. However, some experts are predicting that these devices will become the largest and most expensive medical implant problem in history. As the devices deteriorate, tiny particles of cobalt and chromium break off and enter the surrounding tissue, causing severe pain and reduced mobility and possibly entering the bloodstream where they can cause life-threatening health problems.
Until recently, metal-on-metal replacement hips accounted for around one-third of the approximately 250,000 replacement devices surgically implanted each year. As many as 500,000 people have had a metal-on-metal hip implanted. Johnson & Johnson’s Articular Surface Replacement, a hip replacement device that was recalled last year for similar problems, has been the target of 75 percent of the complaints received by the FDA.
One unfortunate 50-year-old woman from Delaware had both hips replaced with metal-on-metal hip devices at the same time and began experiencing sharp pain, persistent rashes and inflammation shortly after implantation. She had both devices replaced with different implants, but tissue damage from metal fragments from the deteriorating devices has sharply reduced her mobility and independence. She now needs a brace to walk and can no longer work to support herself.
Are you or a close family member experiencing problems from a metal-on-metal hip implant? If so, you may be able to seek damages against the manufacturer and others for making and selling a defective product. Product liability cases can be challenging, as manufacturers spare no expense to discredit litigation against them. That’s one of many reasons why you need experienced Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham by your side to guide you through this ordeal and help you receive the fair and just compensation you deserve. Call 407-425-2000 or 888-425-2004 today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case and get an aggressive, experienced Florida product liability lawyer on your side.
James O. Cunningham
Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.