A metal-on-metal hip lawsuit has been filed by a California woman who claims that her bilateral hip implants released high metal levels into her blood, forcing her to have them both removed.

Plaintiff Joy P. filed a metal hip lawsuit against Biomet Orthopedics LLC alleging the hip manufacturer knew its hip system was subject to failure due to excessive metal-on-metal wear yet  represented it was safe and effective.

The hip lawsuit claims that Joy had bilateral hip revision surgery in 2006 when she was implanted with the Biomet M2a Metal-on-Metal Hip System. In 2014, she underwent revision surgery to have her left hip implant removed allegedly due to high levels of metal in her blood.

In 2015, Joy claims that she was forced to have her right hip implant removed. During the revision surgery her physician noted evidence of metallosis, and elevated levels of cobalt and chromium ions.
According to the plaintiff, having to undergo revision surgeries has made her more susceptible to future complications including a much higher risk of dislocation. The hip implant lawsuit alleges Biomet was negligent by promoting and marketing the  Biomet M2a Metal-on-Metal Hip System as safe. 

Biomet’s Metal-on-Metal Hip System

According to the metal hip implant lawsuit, the design of the Biomet M2a Metal-on-Metal Hip System was never approved by the FDA as a safe and effective product. Instead the product was approved under section 510(k), which allows products similar to those on the market to be sold without their own testing.
The hip lawsuit alleges that Biomet promoted its M2a Metal-on-Metal Hip System by meeting with orthopedic surgeons. “During these meetings, Biomet assured the orthopedic surgeons that the Hip System was safe, was the best product on the market, had an excellent track record and a low and acceptable failure rate.”

The lawsuit states that at no time did Biomet reveal the numerous Hip System complications and instead concealed its knowledge by using “bad data” during meetings with orthopedic surgeons.

According to the metal-on-metal hip implant lawsuit, more than 350 adverse event reports have been filed with the FDA regarding Biomet’s M2a Magnum Hip System and the M2a38 and M2a Taper systems.

Hip Replacement Complications

Thousands of hip replacement lawsuits have been filed by patients who hoped for an improved lifestyle and ended up having to undergo hip revision surgery due to the allegedly defective metal-on-metal hip implant. Some of the reported hip implant side effects include:

• Metal poisoning
• Tissue death
• Cobalt poisoning
• Cancer
• Heart disease
• Chromium or cobalt leaking into bloodstream
• Loss of bone strength
• Non-cancerous tumors around implant

If you experienced painful side effects after undergoing hip replacement surgery, contact an attorney to find out if you have legal claim.

The Metal Hip Replacement Lawsuit is Case No. 3:15-cv-00545-RLM-CAN in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, South Bend Division.