Zimmer Hip Lawsuit Settlements On the Horizon

As a result of the ongoing Zimmer hip lawsuits filed by patients who have experienced side effects as a result of Zimmer hip replacement systems, several settlements have been given out, amounts that could help compensate for costs associated with the hip replacement complications. Medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses will be considered when a settlement is given out.
After a series of lawsuits aimed at the orthopedics manufacturing giant Zimmer surfaced over their metal-on-metal hip replacement systems, Zimmer set aside an amount of $47.5 million in order to cover settlements and jury verdicts surrounding the case. Recently this amount has grown to nearly $145 million, proving that Zimmer is prepared to hand out a significant number of settlements.

The Zimmer Durom Cup is the component most often cited in Zimmer litigation, and it is theorized that as many as 12,000 plaintiffs could join the ever-growing Zimmer litigation, as this is the number of patients who had been fitted with the device when it was temporarily pulled from the market in 2008 due to Zimmer hip implant failure patients were experiencing. Settlements will depend on the amount of suffering and the nature of the side effect a plaintiff has had to endure as well as the number of patients involved. Other factors such as expenses incurred and loss of quality of life will likely be considered as well. Although one of the benefits for a defendant in settling with a plaintiff is that the settlement amount can and likely will remain confidential, all estimates point to Zimmer settlements that could range from $50,000 to $1 million, with some plaintiffs standing to receive more.

Hip litigation against Zimmer has been consolidated in multidistrict litigation in New Jersey, where pretrial litigation is already proceeding. A status conference will take place on the 29th of June, and the first Zimmer Durom Cup trial could take place either later this year or in 2012. It is not clear how many plaintiffs will receive settlements from Zimmer as opposed to seeing their cases through trial, but it is in both the interest of the defendant and the plaintiff in many cases to settle out of court. Those suffering from the adverse effects of Zimmer hip implant failure are highly advised to contact an experienced Zimmer hip lawyer to ensure proper representation in filing a lawsuit.