Robert J. Boumis  |  September 4, 2014

Category: Legal News

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Biomet hip implant lawsuitsAn Oregon woman filed a metal hip replacement complications lawsuit against Biomet, alleging the metal-on-metal hip the company manufactured failed.

Biomet manufactures a metal-on-metal hip implant called the Magnum. The Magnum device and other metal-on-metal hip implants are different from older-generation artificial hips. Older artificial hips typically had working joint surfaces made out of metal on ceramic, or polymer, or even the patient’s own cartilage. But in the 2000s, a number of companies including Biomet, Stryker, and DePuy released a new type of artificial hip with metal-on-metal interfacing surfaces. This means that the moving surfaces of the joint were made of un-cushioned metal. Allegedly, metal-on-metal hip implants failed more often and caused more serious side effects than other types of hip implants, leading to a series of lawsuits and recalls.

Plaintiff Betty Schwartz alleges that the Magnum Device specifically caused her a variety of health problems. Schwartz had the implant put into her body by surgeons in April 2010. The Magnum device was intended to replace her right hip joint. However, her metal-on-metal hip implant lawsuit states that soon after the procedure, she suffered debilitating pain and loss of range of motion. Her hip implant lawsuit also alleges that she suffered from a buildup of fluid on the knee and was harmed by metalosis — toxic metal ions in her blood. She seeks to recoup the cost medical bills, lost wages, and legal fees associated with the allegedly-defective Magnum device.

According to Schwartz’s metal-on-metal hip implant lawsuit, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began to receive reports of complications from the Magnum device as early as 2006. This included both failures of the device and reports that the metal surfaces of the device ground against each other, producing metallic debris. Allegedly, this debris could form dangerous metallic ions, which could potentially poison a patient and cause a variety of serious symptoms including heart and neurological issues.

On top of this, when a hip implant fails, surgeons must perform revision surgery. In revision surgery, surgeons remove the failed implant and replace it with a new one. The procedure is typically more challenging than a regular hip replacement, as surgeons have less of the original bone to work with, and the patient is typically already in pain and suffering from complications.

The Metal Hip Implant Lawsuit is Betty Jane Schwartz v. Biomet Incorporated, et al., Case No. 3:14-cv-01677-RLM-CAN. It has been added to the larger metal hip implant MDL, In Re: Biomet M2a Magnum Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2391, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana.

In general, metal-on-metal hip lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.

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If you or a loved one had a metal-on-metal hip implant that failed or caused serious complications, you may be entitled to compensation. Hip replacement lawsuits are being filed now against multiple companies, including Stryker, Biomet, DePuy, Zimmer, and Wright. See if you qualify to take legal action by filling out the form below.

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