Stryker hip lawsuits are continuing to be filed and are moving forward in New Jersey’s Bergen County Superior Court in a multicounty litigation overseen by Superior Court Judge Brian R. Martinotti. More than 2,000 Stryker hip lawsuits are pending, according to court records.

The recently updated master case list for the multicounty litigation shows 2,204 Stryker hip lawsuits as of Feb. 25. The hip implant lawsuits commonly allege that the recalled Rejuvenate and ABG II Modular-Neck Hip Stems are defective and cause serious health complications including metallosis (metal poisoning), necrosis (tissue damage), and osteolysis (degeneration of bone tissue).

The Stryker hip recall lawsuits further allege that many patients who had Stryker’s recalled replacement hip devices implanted had to undergo hip revision surgery to have their Stryker hip removed while others will likely need hip revision surgery in the future.

How The Stryker Recall Occurred

In 2009 and 2010, medical device manufacturer Stryker promoted two new hip implant devices: The Rejuvenate and the ABG II. At the time, the firm touted these products as the “latest evolution” among its hip replacement devices.

The construction of the hip implants included neck pieces made of cobalt and chromium, as well as titanium alloy stems. The structure led to the various kinds of metal rubbing together during a patients’ customary movements.

The problems with the Stryker hip implants surfaced in June 2012, when the company issued a hip implant recall for its ABG II and Rejuvenate devices. Patients experienced heightened heavy metal levels in their blood after corrosion and/or fretting caused metal debris to emanate from these devices.

Studies of the faulty hip implants indicated that malfunctions within the hip implants contributed to unnecessary friction, which ultimately led to metal particles entering recipients’ blood streams.

As the cobalt concentrations in their blood increased, several patients began to experience metallosis, a condition characterized by fluid buildup (edema), and damaged or swollen hip tissue. These symptoms frequently required surgery to remove the faulty Stryker hip and replace it with an alternative device.

Stryker Hip Settlement

According to Bergen County Superior Court documents, a Stryker hip settlement program was announced in November to resolve federal and state courts claims by compensating eligible U.S. patients who had hip revision surgery to replace their Rejuvenate Modular Neck or ABG II Modular Neck Hip Stems prior to Nov. 3, 2014, the date of the settlement agreement.

The agreement calls for a base award of $300,000 for each revised hip, with additional compensation for patients who suffered hip implant complications during surgery to remove the Stryker hip. The settlement also includes U.S. patients who could not have hip revision surgery because their physicians determined, prior to Nov. 3, that they were not physically able to undergo the procedure.

The Stryker Hip Implant Lawsuit is In Re: Stryker Rejuvenate Hip Stem and the ABG II Modular Hip Stem Litigation, Case No. 296, in the Bergen County Superior Court, New Jersey.

Hip Implant Lawsuits

Hip replacement injuries can be permanent. Coping with these injuries can also carry a high emotional toll.

Discomfort resulting from device failure can immobilize patients and interfere with their ability to work and participate in other activities. If you received a Stryker hip implant, you may be able to file a hip implant lawsuit against Stryker to recover compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering and other related losses.