According to Dr. Jay Mabrey, chief of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Baylor University Medical Center, approximately 400,000 hip replacements are performed each and every year. While the majority of these replacements are successful, many metal on metal hip implants cause serious problems and constant pain for patients.
Surprisingly, many patients don’t even know the name or type of artificial hip they have in their bodies. Many of Dr. Mabrey’s patients for example, don’t realize that the ‘clicking’ noise they may hear is due to the fact that they have metal on metal hips. These particular hips are often made of chromium cobalt metal and when they grind against one another, they can cause a dangerous condition called metallosis in which the chromium metal debris builds up in soft tissues in the body. This can lead to destruction of ligaments around the hip, neurological toxicity and/or psychological or cardiac toxicity.
Although hip replacements generally come with a hefty price tag, hip implants in the past 10 years have faced high recall numbers. According to the Safe Patient Project, 578 recalls from six major manufacturers, have occurred in this time. Furthermore, given that these hip implants are approved by the FDA in a shortcut process called 510K, many of them are not rigorously tested by either the manufacturer or the FDA. Increasingly, these manufacturers, including DePuy – which has recently settled a class action lawsuit for $2.5 billion – are facing litigation from rightfully unhappy and unsatisfied patients.
Legal Commentary
From a civil standpoint, our firm has represented numerous families who are the victims of the dangerous or crippling effects of hip implants, specifically that of the DePuy ASR hip implant. If you or a loved one has experienced any of these problems because the implant, we encourage you to consult with one of our Hip Implant attorneys as soon as possible. Although no amount of money can compensate for permanent physical damage, a successful civil claim pursued against the responsible party will ensure the victims are not burdened with costly medical expenses, and will hopefully help compensate them for their pain, suffering, and lost wages for time missed from work. Further questions can be directed to the Fears | Nachawati Law Firm by emailing the lead hip implant lawyer, Majed Nachawati at mn@fnlawfirm.com, or by calling our office at 1.866.705.7584.
About the Author
Majed Nachawati is a preeminent Pharmaceutical Products Liability Lawyer with a focus on representing hip implant victims and families harmed by dangerous implantations on a nationwide basis. Mr. Nachawati has resolved numerous cases through trials and settlements that have resulted in seven and eight figure confidential settlements. He is on the Grievance Committee for the State Bar of Texas. He is licensed to practice before the Supreme Court of Texas and Arkansas, and is in most federal courts in the nation and holds specific licenses in the Northern, Southern, and Eastern Districts of Texas. Mr. Nachawati is a member of the Board of Directors of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, the Board of Directors for Public Justice, a Leaders’ Forum and PAC member of the American Association for Justice. Mr. Nachawati has been recognized as a Super Lawyer in Texas Monthly Magazine for the past four consecutive years for legal excellence, in connection with pharmaceutical injury cases. Mr. Nachawati is also a member of The Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Mr. Nachawati can be reached by email at mn@fnlawfirm.com or by calling 1.866.705.7584.