A Louisiana couple has filed a metal hip implant lawsuit against Howmedica Osteonics and its subsidiary Stryker Orthopaedics for allegedly causing the wife severe and permanent injuries.

Plaintiffs Glenda and David O. filed this Stryker hip lawsuit demanding a trial by jury and award of damages exceeding $75,000 for “life-threatening injuries” allegedly caused by the Stryker metal hip implant.

According to the metal on metal hip replacement lawsuit, Glenda and her husband allege that the Stryker implant she received leads to certain dangerous side effects, including site-specific cancer and organ damage.
Glenda and David claim that the Stryker metal on metal hip implants
“represent a continuing health risk to purchasers who received a device whether explanted or not as high cobalt chromium levels have been shown to persist even after explantation of the device,” according to their complaint.

Background on Metal Hip Replacement Lawsuit

Glenda underwent her first hip replacement surgery on Oct. 5, 2010, at a local Louisiana hospital, at which time the patient’s damaged and diseased left hip joint was removed and the Stryker Rejuvenate Modular hip replacement product was implanted.

A few months later in March 2011, Glenda underwent a second hip surgery on her right hip in order to implant a second Stryker metal hip product.

According to the Stryker hip implant lawsuit, both of Glenda’s hip implant surgeries were performed before the Urgent Field Safety Notice was issued to surgeons and hospitals in April 2012. This notice concerned reports sent to Stryker claiming premature failure of the Stryker Rejuvenate hip implants and heavy metal contamination in patients’ bloodstream.

However, the patients allege that despite Stryker acknowledging the defects of their metal hip implant product, the company waited until July 2012 to initiate a voluntary recall of the Stryker Rejuvenate hip implant products.

In September 2014, Glenda was diagnosed with elevated cobalt and chromium levels in her blood, suggesting metallosis (also known as heavy metal toxicity); later on, the plaintiff was also diagnosed with with kidney damage, leg injuries, decreased balance, decreased mobility, and other debilitating injuries.

Glenda claims that if she had been aware serious metal hip implant side effects, she would have never agreed to have the Stryker Rejuvenate hip replacement implanted in her body.

Glenda is seeking several forms of relief in this Stryker hip lawsuit, including compensatory damages for past, present and future pain and suffering, mental impairment, disability, loss of enjoyment of life, lasting physical impairments stemming from Stryker metal hip implant complications. Furthermore, the couple is seeking compensation for medical expenses incurred in past, present and future.

Her husband David is seeking compensation for loss of consortium, which is a claim a spouse can make in a complaint for loss of intimacy with their plaintiff spouse because of side effects caused by a product, in this case the Stryker Rejuvenate hip implant.

The Stryker Hip Lawsuit is Case No. 6:15-cv-02155, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.