Seeger Weiss Blog
Seeger Weiss Blog: Legal News and Analysis

Guide to Filing a Hip Replacement Lawsuit

January 10th, 2013

According to The New York Times, an estimated 500,000 individuals have undergone a surgery involving a metal-on-metal hip implant. A quality hip implant is usually expected to last for approximately 15 to 20 years, depending on the patient’s activity level, fitness level and general health.

Many hip replacement patients, however, find that their implants begin to show signs of failure in a matter of a few short years. These patients have begun pursuing legal action against the manufacturers of these defected implants, but they need to first equip themselves with the necessary information before heading to court.

How to Find Out if You Have Been Affected by a Defective Hip Implant

The majority of hip implant patients have become accustomed to chronic pain and stiffness over the course of many years. In fact, these two symptoms are the most commonly cited reasons for the decision to have hip implant surgery in the first place. Unfortunately for many hip implant patients, the familiar pain associated with hip problems before the surgery may never actually improve, particularly if the implant used is defective.

Symptoms of a potentially defective or dangerous hip implant include:

  • Noticeable swelling that does not respond to anti-inflammatory medications
  • Unusual warmth in the area surrounding the implant
  • Difficulty when walking, bending, sitting down or getting up
  • Pain and stiffness that do not go away with proper medication and rest

Complications that arise from a defective hip implant may grow to be incredibly serious when not addressed in a timely manner. Corrosion of metal-on-metal components in an implant can allow minute particles of metal into the blood stream and into the tissue at the implant site. Severe cases can lead to tissue death around the implant, dangerously high levels of cobalt and chromium in the blood, and substantial bone loss.

List of Recalled Hip Implants

All hip replacement and hip surgery patients are strongly encouraged to consult their surgeons and medical records to determine what type of device was used during their procedure. Though many surgeons are able to reach their patients with relevant recall information relatively quickly after the information has been made available to them, not all patients are made aware of the potential danger they face. The following is a list of some recalled hip implants over recent years:

If you or a loved one have undergone hip surgery and have suffered adverse effects because of the type of implant used, you may be entitled to financial compensation. The statute of limitations for filing a lawsuit concerning defective implants varies from state to state, so quick and decisive action is strongly recommended.

A product injury lawyer is a legal professional with experience in pursuing financial compensation for injuries or death caused by faulty products. Your attorney will help you make the important decisions regarding your case from start to finish, as well as make sure that you are awarded a fair amount of money for your pain, suffering and medical expenses. Don’t allow multi-billion dollar businesses to take advantage of you in your time of need. Even if you have not yet begun to experience side effects associated with your hip implant, it is important to obtain a legal consult immediately in order to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve.


Posted at 6:00 pm. No comments

Leave a reply