A growing number of patients have filed lawsuits in Federal Court in Massachusetts for their defective Stryker hip implants. The litigation, for injuries suffered as a result of Stryker LFIT V40 metal-on-metal hips, became largely prevalent following a November 2016 FDA recall of the device, and claims involving the hip were consolidated to the Boston Federal Courthouse in January 2017.
Metal-on-metal hips, initially thought to be superior to the porcelain implants, have signs of deterioration and significant wear soon after their implantation. As discussed in a previous SUGARMAN blog post, patients with LFIT V40 hips have experienced multiple complications including corrosion, heavy metal poisoning, early hip failure, and other health problems caused by the defective implants. These conditions are often discovered during routine follow-up visits with patients’ orthopedic surgeons when patients report pain in the hip, and in severe cases, difficulties with mobility. Although a significant number of patients experience pain and complications within months after total hip replacement surgery, some do not experience complications for years after surgery. Though some conservative treatments can help, the majority of patients end up having surgical removal of the defective implant. Surgical revision of total hip replacements typically involves the replacement of an implanted hip with a new component.
Due to the high number of patients bringing claims relating to defective hip implants, lawsuits involving the Stryker LFIT V40 hips were consolidated into Multi-District Litigation in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts in Boston in January 2017. Since that time, claimants have filed lawsuits in the MDL, and even more have transferred cases filed in other jurisdictions to Massachusetts. Unlike class action lawsuits, Multi-District Litigation allows for similar claims to be lumped together for discovery while allowing each plaintiff the ability to have an individual trial.
SUGARMAN attorneys have successfully represented dozens of clients injured by similar metal-on-metal implants and have recent experience handling litigation relating to other defective Stryker hips. If you have questions regarding a Stryker metal-on-metal hip implant, please contact one of SUGARMAN’s personal injury attorneys at 617-542-1000 or send us an email at info@sugarman.com.