Over 300,000 hip replacement surgeries are performed every year in the U.S., according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
The majority of people who need hip replacement surgery are over 45. During hip replacement surgery, several portions of the hip joint are replaced with prostheses. There are numerous health conditions that make a person a good candidate for hip replacement surgery, such as:
It is worthy of note that only people who have extensive, irreversible hip joint damage are eligible for surgery, as their damaged hip joint may cause a series of bothersome symptoms such as pain and discomfort in their everyday life.
For instance, they may experience difficulty walking or going upstairs, bending to get in and out of chairs, and a limited range of motion. However, when their symptoms are not very severe, they can be successfully kept under control with medication such as anti-inflammatory drugs and steroid injections, as well as with physical therapy.
They may also have to use a cane or a walker to get around. Approximately 90% of people who need to undergo hip replacement surgery have osteoarthritis, as this is the most serious hip condition that causes the sufferer a lot of pain and discomfort and prevents the patient from performing even the simplest tasks.
While a hip replacement may be very effective in treating the symptoms of osteoarthritis and other conditions affecting the bones, there are numerous manufacturers who produced defective metal-on-metal hip implants,
It can lead to the development of serious health complications, such as changes in your ability to walk, numbness, increased pain, bone loss, inflammation, blood poisoning, neurological changes, cardiomyopathy, renal or thyroid function impairment, and circulatory and cognitive issues.
The following are some of the manufacturers whose hip implants have been recalled so far:
It is important to know that if your hip implant is defective and is causing you a lot of unpleasant symptoms in your daily life, you have the legal right to seek financial compensation from the manufacturer.
Usually, people whose hip implant is defective have to undergo revision surgery, which may take a heavy toll on their health, as most people who need hip replacement are elderly.
Therefore, if you had a defective hip implant placed in your body and had to undergo a second surgery for it to be replaced with a safe one, we strongly encourage you to take legal action by filing a personal injury claim with the manufacturer.
The following are the number of hip implants recalls for the most important manufacturers of medical devices:
The manufacturers of defective hip implants typically produce multiple faulty devices. If you had a defective hip implant placed in your body that is causing you bothersome symptoms and for which you had to undergo revision surgery, it is important to find out who manufactured it and what type of hip implant it was.
You can do this by simply asking your surgeon, as they know with certainty what device was used in your surgery. The following are some of the most renowned defective hip implants manufactured by the companies above:
One of the reasons why hip implants can be defective concerns the metal they are manufactured with. Because most hip implants are metal-on-metal, friction is bound to occur, which may release particles of cobalt and chromium in your bloodstream, subsequently leading to blood poisoning. Another reason why hip implants fail is that they tend to lose over the years if they have a faulty design.
If you have a defective hip implant, you may also struggle with infection to the hip bone that surrounds the implant, which can be fatal if left untreated. Damage to the surrounding bone tissue may also occur with faulty hip implants.
A defective hip implant may also dislocate, which entails the ball portion of the prosthesis being forced out of the socket. This will result in pain and limited function. Lastly, the prosthesis may fracture over time, which is a very serious health complication, as it can lead to death since prosthesis fractures are associated with a poor clinical outcome and with a high mortality rate.
In the unfortunate case that you underwent hip replacement surgery and the prosthesis was defective, causing you distressing symptoms or even requiring you to have revision surgery, you have the legal right to take legal action against the responsible manufacturer.
It is important to know that once you have your defective hip implant replaced with a new one, the original one should be kept as evidence to support your personal injury case.
By filing a claim with the liable manufacturer, not only will you recover the compensation you deserve for your physical and emotional distress, but you will also hold the responsible company accountable for their negligence.
With over 35 years of professional experience, our case managers will help you file a personal injury claim with the manufacturer of your defective hip implant to recover the compensation you are entitled to.
After we check whether you are eligible, a process that will unfold over the phone and that will take approximately 10 minutes, you will know with certainty if you qualify for compensation.