In the midst of all the legal reports and descriptions of symptoms experienced by patients in class action and multi-district litigation suits against DePuy Orthopedics, individual patient experiences can get lost in the shuffle. However, it is this personal suffering that led to the lawsuits in the first place. While important to stay aware of the larger issue, DePuy must be held accountable for the suffering caused by its devices.
Jacqueline Lum, a resident of Hawaii, is the first person in her state to file suit against DePuy over the hip replacement devices the company recalled in August of this year. Lum told the Star Advertiser, “It’s really bad. I can stand up, sit up on a chair, (but) it hurts. (To) sleep at night I need to take medications to help take the pain away.” Her pain began just three months after having the implant surgery in August of 2009. Lum went back into surgery to have the device removed and replaced in early November 2010.
Fox News reported that Pat Ross, an avid athlete who played football, baseball, and wrestled, also had hip replacement surgery and used this product. He told Fox, “I was in pain. I had no mobility.” However, just when he thought he was about to regain the mobility he had lost, Ross experienced the failure of the defective implant. In less than one year after his surgery, Ross began to suffer from severe pain in his hips and pelvis. He then had to undergo a second surgery to install new parts to replace the defective ones, the article explained.
Laurie Mantueffel is yet another patient who has struggled after receiving the DePuy hip replacement implant. The Fox News article explained, “Less than a year after getting her new hip it went bad. Metal started flaking off the implant. It got into her blood stream causing swelling and pain. She had two surgeries in a year and that wasn’t the end of it. A second operation to fix the problem hip put her in the hospital for four days.”
Unfortunately, these are just three out of the potential 93,000 patients who could eventually experience similar results. Although the New York Times reports DePuy will pay “reasonable and customary medical costs associated with the recalled products,” patients might now have trouble trusting the promises of a company who called the majority of hip replacement surgeries using this recalled device “successful.”
If you or a loved one has experienced a serious side effect or symptoms of side effects related to the DePuy ASR hip replacement devices, contact Newsome Law Firm and fill out a case evaluation form today. Our team of attorneys has experience specific to complications associated with medical device recalls. Not only can they give you the legal guidance you need, they can help you get the compensation you deserve.
References:
Daranciang, Nelson. (October 27, 2010) “Woman sues over hip implant device.” Retrieved on November 9, 2010 from the Honolulu Star Advertiser website.
Fox News Staff Writer. (November 8, 2010) “Investigators: Junk Joints.” Retrieved on November 9, 2010 from the Fox 9 News website.
Singer, Natasha. (August 26, 2010) “Johnson & Johnson Recalls Hip Implants.” Retrieved on November 9, 2010 from the New York Times website.