Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP

The High Cost of Failing Artificial Hips Highlighted by New York Times Today and In New DePuy ASR Metal Hip Recall Lawsuit

San Francisco, CA – Today the New York Times published an article discussing the potential risks of DePuy and Zimmer metal-on-metal artificial hip implants. This comes just days after Wendy Fleishman and Lexi Hazam, attorneys at the national plaintiffs' law firm of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, announced that George B. Evans of Remington, Virginia, and James T. Mechaley, of Bakersfield, California today filed suit against DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc., for injuries they suffered after receiving a defective all-metal hip implant, sold under the brand name the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System.

"The DePuy ASR System has reportedly had high rates of loosening, failure, and dangerous metal debris release, which have caused patients extreme pain and forced many to undergo a second surgery to remove the implant," stated Lexi Hazam. "The complaint in this case charges that DePuy was aware its ASR hip implant was failing at a high rate, yet continued to manufacture and sell the product to unsuspecting physicians and patients."

In their complaint, plaintiffs allege that they were in constant pain from their faulty DePuy hips and had great difficulty walking. Mr. Evans added, "It's been a lot of pain. Over the holidays, on Christmas eve, I did not sleep all night because of the discomfort and the pain. At this point, I am using crutches to go anywhere. I can't get out and do the things I want to do."

About the DePuy Hip Replacement Recall

On August 26, 2010, DePuy Orthopaedics announced the recall of its ASR XL Modular Acetabular Cup System and the DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System, which were implanted in approximately 40,000 patients in the U.S. from August 2005 through August 2010. 

The complaint estimates that the failure rate of the DePuy ASR may be as high as 13%, which is substantially greater than the generally accepted standard of no more than five percent of patients requiring revision surgery within five years of implantation. The true failure rate of the DePuy ASR may climb higher in the coming years as doctors and their patients come to realize that their implants are failing.

Dr. Art Sedrakyan, a researcher at Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, stated today in the New York Times that, "There is no data on the number of all-metal hips that have failed prematurely in this country because the outcomes of orthopedic procedures are not formally tracked by the government or private companies. But extrapolating from overseas data and the estimate of metal hip use here, tens of thousands of patients in the United States may have to undergo operations over the next decade to replace the implants."

The lawsuit, entitled Evans et al. v. DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc., et al., was filed December 21, 2011, in state court in San Francisco, California. 

Legal Resources for DePuy Hip Implant Patients

If you would like to learn more about your legal rights please visit http://www.depuymetalhiprecall.com or call us toll-free at 800-541-7358 and ask to speak to attorney Lexi Hazam. There is no charge or obligation for our review of your case.

About Lieff Cabraser

Described as "one of the nation’s premier plaintiffs’ firms," by The American Lawyer, Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, represents persons across America injured by defective medical devices, including the DePuy ASR artificial hip. Since 2003, The National Law Journal has selected Lieff Cabraser as one of the top plaintiffs' law firms in the nation. We are one of only two plaintiffs' law firms in the United States to receive this honor for the last nine consecutive years.

Source | Contact

Wendy Fleishman
Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP
212.355.9500

Lexi Hazam
Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP
415.956.1000