Articles Posted in Defective Medical Devices

In Tennessee and all across the country and even the world, we have all heard reports about the Depuy hip implant recall and metal on metal hip recalls. The original Depuy hip recall occured in August of 2010. Since then, many people have experienced pain and problems and even needed additional surgery to fix or replace their implants. If you or someone you love have had pain or hip problems since your implant and think you may have a Depuy hip implant, you should talk to a Tennessee hip implant recall lawyer right away. They will hear your case and work with you to make sure you get the compensation you deserve.

In the first hip recall case to go to trial, a jury on Friday, March 8th, 2013, found that the hip implants were defective, but that DePuy did not act with fraud or malice. DePuy was ordered to pay more than $338,000 in medical costs and $8 million for pain and suffering to plaintiff Loren Kransky. No punitive damages were awarded. Another case involving a lawsuit filed by a retired prison guard suffering from kidney cancer and other ailments, states that this verdict bodes well for this case as well as other cases, while DePuy said it would appeal.

Jeff Jonas, an analyst for Gabelli & Co, stated that Johnson & Johnson unit will eventually offer a national settlement, under which thousands of hip plaintiffs would likely take what is offered rather than face years of litigation and appeals. The recall of the Depuy hip implants began in 2010, prompted by recognition that the devices were failing at higher-than-expected rates. Some 93,000 ASR hips were sold prior to the recall.

Loire Gawreluk, a spokeswoman for DePuy stated that, “We believe ASR XL was properly designed, and that Deputy’s actions concerning the product were appropriate and responsible.” She also stated that, the planned appeal will be based on grounds including the fact that the court did not allow the company to tell the jury that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had reviewed the device and cleared it for sale.

In Loren Kransky case, it has been stated that, “the jury’s decision is the first day of reckoning for DePuy and Johnson & Johnson … We expect to get punitive damages in the next trial.” The case claimed that the ASR hip resulted in elevated levels of cobalt and chromium in Kransky, causing him pain that required the hip to be replaced. The J&J lawyers that there is no medical consensus on what levels of the metals may cause harm to patients and said Kransky’s other medical problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and kidney cancer, were the source of his pain and suffering.

Another hip implant trial in Illinois state court starts on Monday March 11, 2013. Two cases in federal multi district litigation are set for trial in May and July in Ohio.
Continue Reading

There has been several residents in Tennessee suffering from apparent defective Stryker hip implants. Currently there are a significant number of Stryker recall lawsuits that continue to move forward. The Supreme Court in New Jersey is currently considering a request to consolidate litigation in New Jersey for all of the Stryker Rejuvenate lawsuits filed in the state. November 30th of 2012 was the last day the Acting Administrator of the Courts would accept comments or objections to the request.

According to the Stryker hip recall, the company announced its recall of the Rejuvenate and ABG II Modular Hip Stems on July 6, 2012, due to a potential risk for fretting and corrosion at the modular-neck junction. As much as 20,000 people have been affected by the implants that were sold before the recall. According to Stryker the Rejuvenate and ABG II Modular Hip Stems could develop adverse local tissue reactions which could result in pain or swelling for the people with the implants.
Continue Reading

In Tennessee and all across the country, people except that when they go to the hospital to have certain medical procedures performed that the medical devices used will help them to feel better and help them to lead a better life. Unfortunately, some medical devices are defective and this can cause pain and further injury for many people. If you or someone you know has had to have a transvaginal mesh device implanted and are now experiencing pain, problems and additional injuries as a result, then you should talk to a Tennessee transvaginal mesh lawyer right away. They will hear your case and see to it that you get the compensation you need for what you have suffered.

According to this lawsuit, a Tennessee woman was implanted with the Bard’s Avaulta Plus Anterior BioSynthetic Support System and the Advantage Fit System in October 2009 to treat her pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence. After this procedure, she suffered painful injuries allegedly caused by transvaginal mesh implants. The lawsuit alleges that the transvaginal mesh implants pose an unreasonable risk of vaginal erosion which means that the mesh moves out of its original place. When this occurs, it can cut through the tissue and damage nearby organs such as the bladder or colon. This lawsuit claims that the mesh caused an infection and chronic pain.
The Food and Drug Administration in October of 2008 issued a public health warning related to transvaginal mesh after receiving an estimated one thousand complaints of complications caused by the devices. The warning stated that the side effects were serious but rare. After making this announcement the FDA received 2,874 more reports of complications with the devices. In July of last year, the agency updated their warning stating that the side effects were not rare and that there is no evidence that transvaginal mesh has any benefits over non-mesh methods used to treat pelvic organ prolapse. The Safety Communication has stated that the most common and most serious side effects include: erosion, pain, infection, bleeding, painful sex, organ perforation and urinary problems.
This case is just one of several cases pending multidistrict litigation against C.R. Bard.
Continue Reading

In Tennessee as well as all over the United States, people have heard about and may have even been affected by the complications involving a procedure using transvaginal mesh. These complications have resulted in pain, problems, and even additional procedures to fix the problem for many patients. If you or someone you love has experienced pain or problems after having a transvaginal mesh procedure, then you should talk to a Tennessee injury lawyer as soon as possible. They will hear your case and help to determine if you are eligible to receive compensation.

The Food and Drug Administration have determined that he placement of surgical mesh through the vagina to treat pelvic organ prolapsed and stress urinary incontinence may present greater risk for the patient than other non-mesh procedures. According to their findings, reported complications from the transvaginal placement of the mesh include erosion of the mesh into the vaginal tissue, organ perforation, pain, infection, painful intercourse, and urinary and fecal incontinence. Women often require additional surgery to have the mesh removed. The FDA has recently updated its safety warning about the mesh to medical professionals as well as patients.
Continue Reading

The people of Tennessee as well as many people all across the country have heard reports about problems with hip implants causing pain and other serious side effects. Many people with these Stryker hip implants may also have needed additional surgery to correct the problems. If you or someone you know has recently had a Stryker hip implant and then experienced pain and problems as a result, then you should speak to a Tennessee personal injury and Stryker hip implant lawyer as soon as possible. They will hear your case and see to it that you get the compensation that is rightfully yours.

The Stryker Hip implant company’s latest recall took place on July 6, 2012 and involves the Rejuvenate and ABGII modular-neck stem devices which are parts used in all metal hip replacements. A new series of lawsuits is expected with this latest recall. In lawsuits like these, a patient’s medical history must be considered as well as the severity of the injury, and the link between the injury and the product that has been used. These factors must be considered carefully or a person may lose compensation in their lawsuit or their settlement. The amount that a person may be entitled to for their Stryker hip implant injuries may be determined by past and future medical costs, out of pocket costs, disability, as well as pain and suffering of the patient.

A jury may also decide to award punitive damages in some cases. These damages are intended to punish specific conduct on the part of the company who made the product. Punitive damages are usually only awarded in cases of serious misconduct by the company or defendant in question.
Continue Reading

Stryker Orthopedics has recalled two of their hip implant models because of concerns about the devices being prone to corrosion that could lead to pain, swelling, and other problems for patients. The recall includes Styker’s Rejuvenate Modular and ABGII modular-neck stem devices. These devices have a femoral stem and femoral head ball connection that are both made of metal. The company has decided to stop global production of these products. Problems with metal on metal implants can include: loosening, fracturing and dislocating of the device. They have also been linked to possible blood poisoning.

In Tennessee as well as all across the country, people expect that when they need medicine for certain illnesses or medical devices such as hip implants to make their lives easier, that these things should work properly and help them. Unfortunately, however, some medical devices that are supposed to help people end up causing additional pain and problems and often require additional surgery to fix the problem. If you have experienced pain or problems after receiving a Stryker hip implant, then you should speak to a Tennessee Stryker hip recall lawyer about your concerns. They will hear your case and help to determine if you are eligible to receive compensation.
Continue Reading

The people of Tennessee and people all across the United States rely on medications to make them feel better. They also rely on drug companies to properly warn them about the risks that certain medications may have. However, many drug companies fail to provide proper warning labels on medications and this can result in serious injuries or even death. If you or someone you care about has taken a medication and then suffered injuries due to a lack of proper warning labels, then you should speak with a Tennessee dangerous drug lawyer as soon as possible. They will help make sure you get the compensation you need for your injuries.

According to this class action lawsuit against Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly, consumers that use the diabetes drug Actos are seeking compensation and medical monitoring due to the drug companies’ failure to properly warn about the risk of developing bladder cancer from taking Actos. This class action lawsuit was filed last month for two users of Actos who developed bladder cancer, and one of their spouses. The lawsuit is also seeking class certification to include all users of Actos since it was established in 1999.

Actos is a prescription medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration for Type II diabetes treatment. The drug increases the body’s insulin and has generated estimated $4.3 billion in sales in the last year. However, concerns have been brought up recently about the possible risk of bladder cancer from Actos. In June of 2011, the Food and Drug Administration issued warnings which shown that Actos when used for more than one year, has been linked to a risk of bladder cancer. French drug regulators forced a drug recall of Actos and may have recommended that Actos be recalled in the United States as well.

According to the lawsuit’s claims, Takeda had a large financial incentive to suppress, misrepresent and hide the potential dangers linked with Actos in order to maximize their profits at the expense of the health of patients taking the drug. The companies’ failure to properly disclose information about the cancer risk from Actos meant that the consumers did not have enough information about the risks of using the drug and could not avoid exposing themselves to possible injury. The class action lawsuit is seeking money damages as well as medical monitoring and other damages for all the individuals who have taken Actos in the United States since July of 1999.
Continue Reading