Zimmer Durom Cup Hip Failure Blamed on Doctors

As more and more patients become aware of the design problems and side effects surrounding the Zimmer Durom cup hip replacement system, lawsuits continue to pile up in courts with more and more plaintiffs filing suit against the Zimmer Corporation. More and more surgeons, too, are speaking out about increasing rates of failure.

Zimmer Hip Replacement Lawsuit May Get Underway Soon

Zimmer Holdings, which is a publicly traded company that made over $4 billion in revenue in 2009 alone, is facing a slew of lawsuits over their Durom Cup hip replacement system. Patients using the device have experienced various side effects and complications from the implant, in many cases making life more difficult and causing extensive pain and bodily harm. Although pretrial proceedings for the multidistrict lawsuit surrounding the case may get underway as soon as later this year, Zimmer may try to reach a settlement with plaintiffs.

Planned Settlements for Zimmer Hip Lawsuit Cases

Zimmer Holdings Incorporated, makers of the Zimmer hip replacement system, have been so plagued with lawsuits since the faults in their hip replacement system were revealed that they have set aside $47 million simply to deal with the payouts and settlements the lawsuits will necessitate. Some of the problems with the Zimmer hip replacement are so serious that patients need a risky hip revision surgery, or a second surgery in order to replace or repair the implant. This surgery can cause dozens of its own complications, and can even threaten the life of the patient.
Lawsuits against Zimmer Holdings Incorporated started being filed in 2008, when patients first started reporting problems with their implants. That same year, Zimmer pulled the hip implant from the US market – but has since reintroduced it, claiming that surgical error and not technological error to be at fault in this case, and requiring all surgeons to take a course on proper administration of the implant before using it in surgery. However, this does not stop the flood of lawsuits from pouring in – lawsuits are still being filed, and there is no telling how many of the 12,000 people who received the implant will complain of side effects and file suit against the company. Some studies have shown that, depending on the situation, as many as 5.7% of people who received the implant experienced failure. Patients have complained of hip pain, swelling, and loosening of the implant, all of which detract from the quality of life of the patient and in some cases cannot be remedied simply.
Although the hardware was approved in 2006, it seems as though Zimmer Holdings Incorporated has created a product that has caused gratuitous harm, potentially to thousands of patients. Despite this, they have reintroduced a potentially unsafe product to the US market.

Zimmer Hip Replacement Lawsuit May Get Underway Soon

Zimmer Holdings, which is a publicly traded company that made over $4 billion in revenue in 2009 alone, is facing a slew of lawsuits over their Durom Cup hip replacement system. Patients using the device have experienced various side effects and complications from the defective hip implant, in many cases making life more difficult and causing extensive pain and bodily harm. Although pretrial proceedings for the multidistrict lawsuit surrounding the case may get underway as soon as later this year, Zimmer may try to reach a settlement with plaintiffs.
Zimmer has set aside more than $100 million to handle costs associated with settlements and lawsuits related to their Durom Cup implant system. The company has also already reached out to some victims of the faulty implant, especially those who have had to undergo painful and complicated hip revision surgery to remove and replace the implant. A lawyer for these victims might suggest that they do not take the settlement, which most likely will not represent fair compensation for the suffering they have had to undergo as well as the pain they may continue to experience in the future due to the nature of the implant system. More likely, these patients should file suit against Zimmer in order to receive a greater amount of compensation.
Lawsuits related to the Zimmer case have been consolidated into a multidistrict litigation case, which will help speed them through the judicial system. Although there were only 45 lawsuits when the case was approved for multidistrict litigation, experts estimate that there could be hundreds by the time pretrial proceedings begin. The cases, filed in federal courts nationwide, will take place in the District of New Jersey, under Judge Susan D. Wigenton. Although there is no telling what kind of settlement patients may receive, the decision to consolidate the Zimmer hip lawsuits and put them through the New Jersey court brings plaintiffs closer to compensation.

Zimmer Hip Statue of Limitations: Time May Not Have Run Out

Patients who have been affected by the side effects that have come to be associated with Zimmer Durom cup hip replacement systems – hip and groin pain, pain when climbing stairs, and other serious complications – may be interested to know that, while the statue of limitations in their state may have run out, they could still have time to file a Zimmer hip replacement lawsuit.
The statue of limitations, which is the period during which a plaintiff can file papers with court, varies from state to state. In New Jersey, where Zimmer lawsuits have been consolidated into multidistrict litigation, the statue of limitations is two years – and most, if not all, patients who have received faulty Durom cup implants received them at least two years ago, usually more. Despite this, recipients of a faulty implant may still have time to file a lawsuit.
In most cases, the statue of limitations does not begin until a patient discovers side effects from the hip implant, or is diagnosed with them. For example, a patient who received an implant in 2007 but did not experience side effects until 2010 may still be able to file a Zimmer hip replacement lawsuit until 2012. Additionally, in some cases, the statue of limitations can be extended, which usually takes place when there is a delay in the discovery of a wrongdoing or when a defendant has fraudulently concealed a wrongdoing, such as in the case of a patient who believes his or her pain after surgery to be normal for a few years afterwards, but then realizes it is due to a faulty implant.
However, in any case, only an experienced and trusted lawyer can give truly accurate advice to a potential plaintiff as to whether or not he or she has a Zimmer hip replacement case.

Zimmer Hip Settlements Almost Here

It seems that Zimmer has found themselves waist deep in a pile of lawsuits. The company, which put out a defective hip replacement system in 2008, has started to receive countless lawsuits regarding their hip implants. Because of this, they have set aside $47 million dollars to pay out settlements instead of going to court.

No Settlements Yet

Even though Zimmer has placed aside $47 million dollars in order to pay for settlements, there still have been no publicly announced settlements. However, the payouts are just around the corner, because patients are still coming forward to this day, complaining about Zimmer and their implants, and complaining about the extreme pain and swelling that they are feeling.

Zimmer Hip Replacement Problems

So how exactly did all the lawsuits against Zimmer start? Lawsuits against Zimmer began to surface in 2008 when a large number of patients began to experience problems with their Zimmer hip replacement systems. These patients experienced many symptoms, like loosening of the joint, and many had to go in for hip revision surgery. This forced Zimmer to send out a recall for all of their hip replacement products, which led to a large number of lawsuits being filed against the company. Settlements to patients may number in the millions of dollars.

High Failure Rates

According to multiple studies done on Zimmer’s hip replacement implants, the failure rate of these devices was somewhere around 6%. This is much higher than the industry average. One study saw that 14 out of 160 patients experienced devastating complications with their implant systems.
Settlements to patients are focused on those who have had to go on and have hip revision surgery in order to fix their implant.
After the recall Zimmer actually reintroduced their product into the U.S. market, claiming that surgeons were at fault, and that the device was perfectly fine.

Zimmer Hip Replacement Problems: Just the Facts

Many people are looking for clear, complete information about the Zimmer hip recall because they themselves have experienced Zimmer hip complications, or because they have watched a loved one struggle with Zimmer hip problems or hip revision surgery. Recently a wave of hip replacement recalls has rocked the orthopedic device industry, and it’s more important than ever to understand exactly how product recalls and lawsuits resulting from the Zimmer hip recall may affect you. This article will present the essential facts connected to this important issue, and explain the options that affected parties now face.

Zimmer Durom Cup Recall and Re-release

Zimmer Holdings, one of the largest orthopedic device manufacturers on the planet, was unaware of the serious issues with their Durom Cup implant until a respected surgeon made known his concerns. Dr. Larry Dorr reported in April 2008 that more than 8 percent of the patients he had implanted with a Durom Cup suffered failure of the device and were forced to undergo painful hip revision surgery within 2 years.
The Zimmer Durom Cup was designed to attach directly to the hipbone itself, without any screws or adhesives. But it was determined that in some cases the device simply slips free or even comes popping free from the hipbone. Sales of the implant were temporarily suspended in July 2008, but within a few months Zimmer Holdings was marketing the implant once again, this time with revised implant and fitting instructions for surgeons.
There are still many surgeons who refuse to implant the Zimmer Durom Cup device into their patients. There are 12,500 individuals in the United States who have received a Zimmer Durom cup implant, and dozens these recipients have filed a Zimmer Hip lawsuit against the device manufacturer. If you or someone you know has been implanted with the Zimmer Durom Cup and experienced failure or other complications, consulting a Zimmer Hip lawyer and filing a lawsuit may be the solution.

DePuy ASR Hip Recall and Fallout

The DePuy ASR metal-on-metal hip implant device was recalled in August 2010, after the manufacturer confirmed failure rates of 12-13 percent taking place within 5 years of implantation. More than 90,000 people around the world have been implanted with the DePuy ASR device, with more than 30,000 of these surgeries taking place in the United States alone.
In early 2011, a British study determined that DePuy’s ASR device fails as much as 50 percent of the time within just 6 years. The implant was designed to function problem-free for at least 15 years. One of the complications the device has been found to cause is metallosis (metal poisoning), which can be lethal. The ASR system can shed cobalt and chromium particles into the patient’s bloodstream, which can result in destruction of surrounding soft tissues and blood poisoning.
To date, victims have filed more than 100 DePuy hip lawsuits in federal courts across the nation. It is expected that thousands more will be in process by the time the earliest lawsuits reach trial—probably in late 2011 or early 2012. Johnson & Johnson, the parent company of DePuy Orthopaedics, has set aside more than $922 to cover legal costs stemming from this recall, which may include DePuy hip lawsuit settlements.