Stryker Corp. has agreed to pay possibly more than $1 billion to settle claims from patients injured by their Rejuvenate and ABGII modular hip implants.
3,000 Patients
Bergen County, N.J., Superior Court Judge Brian R. Martinotti announced that approximately 3,000 patients implanted with the Rejuvenate or ABGII implants were later forced to undergo revision surgery.
Many of the qualifying patients can expect compensation of around $300,000 per failed implant; however, for the elderly this payment will be adjusted downward in five percent increments for persons the age of 70, 75 and 80 until the age of 85, when the reduction will be at 20 percent.
“The settlement also provides important additional compensation for patients who suffered complications during revision surgery and for other damages. This additional compensation can also include future surgeries that are deemed necessary as a result of having been implanted with one of the defective devices.
It is stated that there is no overall cap or fixed fund for Stryker’s liability under this settlement program.
Defective Metal-On-Metal Devices
Stryker’s modular Rejuvenate and ABGII hip-implant systems are considered metal-on-metal devices.
These types of metal hips run a high risk for fretting and corrosion near the modular neck-stem junction of the implant. Fretting and corrosion have resulted in adverse tissue reactions in the recipient’s bodies which have resulted in the need for hip-implant revision surgeries to remove the neck and stem of the implant.
2012 Recall
Stryker Corporation and its Mahwah, N.J., subsidiary, Howmedica Osteonics, issued a voluntary recall in 2012 of the Rejuvenate and ABGII hip stems because of fretting and corrosion problems.
The Stryker hip implant recall specifically identified pain and swelling as symptoms associated with problems related to its Rejuvenate and ABG II modular-neck stems. The company also advised patients to schedule follow-up appointments with their physicians, even if they were not yet experiencing problems.
According to the FDA, the following symptoms, if experienced three or more months after surgery, may indicate that a hip implant is not functioning properly:
- Hip, leg or groin pain
- Swelling at or near the hip joint
- Popping, grinding, clicking or squeaking sounds from the hip joint
- A limp or change in mobility
A Huge Win
This announcement is a huge win for the patients who have suffered from the placement of these defective implants within their bodies.
Many of the individuals who have received these defective hip implants are elderly and have had to struggle to pay the additional medical bills or are individuals who have not been able to work because of problems associated with the implants.
The Parrish Law Firm Defective Product Attorney works with northern Virginia citizens who have suffered from defective products and are looking for fair compensation for their suffering. Contact us today for a free case consultation, or call us at 703-906-4229.
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A representative of the Parrish Law Firm, PLLC researched and wrote this article with Mr. Parrish’s consent. If you have any questions regarding the legal implications of what you have just read, please send us your question by clicking here so we can have our attorney review it.
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