A New York resident recently filed a new lawsuit against DePuy Orthopaedics, alleging that serious DePuy Pinnacle defects led to permanent injuries and further surgery.

The plaintiff, Jessica T., underwent a total right hip arthroplasty on March 7, 2016, and was implanted with a DePuy Pinnacle hip implant. Unfortunately, the lawsuit claims that the implant Jessica received was actually defective.

These DePuy Pinnacle defects caused her serious problems, the lawsuit claims, at first manifesting as discomfort, pain, stiffness, and loss of motion. Eventually, it became apparent that the damage was more long-term: the implant loosened, and soft tissue and muscle surrounding the implant have both suffered substantial damage.

The damage caused by these DePuy Pinnacle defects was severe enough that Jessica had to undergo revision surgery to remove the device in June 2016—just three months after the initial implantation of the device.

According to the lawsuit, DePuy did not adequately warn about the risk of complications linked with its metal-on-metal hip implant device. Had they given such a warning, the lawsuit claims, Jessica would have sought an alternative method forward and avoided these complications entirely.

A large number of people who have had these devices implanted are still at risk, given that promotional materials put out by DePuy itself note that “99.9% of Pinnacle Hip components are still in use today.”

Jessica filed her DePuy Pinnacle defects lawsuit on Sept. 25 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. The lawsuit was filed on multiple counts, including negligence, design defect, failure to warn, breach of express and implied warranties, negligent misrepresentation, fraud, and others.

DePuy Pinnacle Device Basics

The specific device referred to in this lawsuit is the DePuy Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System, or Pinnacle. The Pinnacle was released onto the market in 2001, and was intended to replace hip joints damaged by a number of conditions. The DePuy Pinnacle device is widely used for hip replacements all across the country. According to its manufacturers, almost 150,000 people have gone through a total hip replacement with this particular system.

Though DePuy markets its device as safe and effective, the hip replacement lawsuit alleges that the company is aware of the link between its Pinnacle device and a number of hip replacement problems, including metallosis, toxicity, muscle and tissue damage, and a high rate of failure.

However, thousands of lawsuits have so far been filed over serious DePuy Pinnacle defects. Australia has already taken the DePuy Pinnacle hip off their medical market because of its high rate of failure and other DePuy Pinnacle defects.

Filing a Lawsuit Over DePuy Pinnacle Defects

Lawsuits claim that the Pinnacle device’s manufacturers failed to adequately warn the public and the medical community about the DePuy Pinnacle defects associated with the device.

If you or someone you love has experienced hip replacement problems due to DePuy Pinnacle defects, you may be able to file a DePuy Pinnacle hip implant lawsuit. While filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by DePuy Pinnacle defects, it can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses and lost wages.

The DePuy Pinnacle Defects Lawsuit is Case No. 3:17-cv-02608-K, in the U.S. District Court for the Dallas Division of the Northern District of Texas.