Are you one of thousands of Americans experiencing chronic pain, reduced mobility and the prospect of future corrective surgeries to treat complications associated with your Zimmer hip replacement system? If so, you may be eligible to pursue substantial monetary compensation by filing a Zimmer hip lawsuit against the manufacturer of your medical implant.
The personal injury attorneys of Eisbrouch Marsh want to help — and we are only a phone call away. Working with a team of medical and insurance experts, we have helped hundreds of clients win product liability lawsuits against the manufacturers of dangerous drugs and defective medical devices.
With a free legal consultation, our Zimmer hip lawyers can put you on the path towards finding compensation for your pain and suffering, medical bills and in some cases lost work and wages. You don’t need to be a victim any longer. Call us today to learn more about your legal options: 201-342-5545.
Common Problems Reported with the Zimmer Durom Cup
Hip manufacturer Zimmer, Inc.’s total hip replacement systems, including Zimmer’s Durom Cup, (otherwise known as the “Durom Acetabular Component”) have been in wide use in this country. Touted as a superior artificial joint to older hip alternatives, the metal-on-metal Durom Cup hit the market in 2006. More than 12,000 patients requiring hip replacements went with the device, comprised of a metal ball and cup arrangement. Some of these same patients went on to report serious complications associated with their Zimmer hip joint soon after its implantation.
Since that time, the Indiana-based hip manufacturer has acknowledged that at least 684 patients may require additional hip surgeries after undergoing a Zimmer hip replacement, and that doctors reported post-hip surgery problems demanding further revision surgeries 5.7 percent of the time.
On the heels of these surfacing allegations of Zimmer hip-induced injuries, the manufacturer temporarily suspended sales of the Durom Cup in July 2008, stopping short of recalling the product on the grounds that the product was without defect. The company resumed sales of the device in August 2008.
A growing number of Zimmer hip recipients accuses the joint maker of dangerously and negligently marketing an inherently defective device. Plaintiffs filing Zimmer hip lawsuits allege their artificial hip joints caused metallosis (metal poisoning) or osteolysis.
Zimmer Hip Implant Complications
Metallosis describes what happens when metallic debris from the device becomes lodged in surrounding tissue, causing that tissue to gradually die. In patients with metal sensitivities, metallosis can take the form of metal poisoning, which has been known to also be associated with severe pain and the formation of cysts or pseudotumors in adjacent tissue.
Osteolysis (the loss of bone in the area surrounding the device) is the most common reason cited for hip failures. Seventy-five percent of failed hip reports cite an occurrence of osteolysis, which happens when the body recognizes implant material as foreign and responds by sending antibodies. The body’s natural autoimmune response in turn triggers chronic inflammation around the site of the implant. Over time, this inflammation contributes to eventual bone loss.
Zimmer hip recipients who claim they have received a defective device allege that friction and abrasive wear over time is caused by the metal ball of the hip rubbing up against its adjacent cup, leaving traces of metallic debris in the surrounding tissue and blood stream. Every step taken with a hip implant, estimates say, produces between 100,000 and 1 million particulates of debris.
Corrective revision surgeries to repair damaged tissue and bone at the site of a failed Zimmer hip implant can be risky, too, with the dangers increasing with time and frequency of surgery.
FDA Warning Regarding Zimmer Hip Implants
In the summer of 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent a letter to Zimmer, Inc, citing the world’s largest manufacturer of hip replacement parts for falling below quality testing standards in the design and production of Durom Cup hips.
Specifically, FDA inspectors were concerned about the absence of any testing mechanism to prove Zimmer hip devices matched pre-determined design specifications. Meanwhile, Zimmer hips remain under investigation by the FDA for alleged links to dangerously high levels of metal in the blood of patients with the artificial joint.
Filing a Lawsuit — Eligibility and Compensation
If you have a Zimmer hip and have been experiencing any of the above side effects for a period of 3 months or more, you may be eligible to file a Zimmer hip replacement lawsuit and receive compensation for your diminished quality of life.
Currently, class action and individual lawsuits are pending across the country against Zimmer, Inc., accusing the manufacturer of negligence in promoting and selling a defective product. Other makers of total hip replacement systems are facing similar complaints from injured plaintiffs.
To learn more about your legal options from an experienced Zimmer hip attorney, call our offices today for a free consultation. The New Jersey-based product liability lawyers at Eisbrouch Marsh can get you and your family started today on the road to financial recovery. Call us at 201-342-5545.
Resources
- New York Times, Complaints Undermine Hip Device, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/business/24hip.html?_r=0
