A Pennsylvania couple recently filed a metal hip implant lawsuit against DePuy Orthopaedics and Johnson & Johnson alleging that their hip implant caused the husband chronic pain, discomfort, inflammation, and other symptoms.

Plaintiff Timothy E. had the DePuy Pinnacle Hip Implant Device with an Ultamet Liner implanted in May 2010 in his left hip.

The metal-on-metal design of the Pinnacle hip implant led to friction and wear of the device, according to the metal hip implant lawsuit, causing the chromium and cobalt from the device to release particles and metal ions into Timothy’s surrounding tissues and bone.

The pain and discomfort allegedly caused by the Pinnacle Hip Implant Device led Timothy to undergo a revision surgery to replace the hip implant in May 2014.

“Plaintiff only recently became aware of the causal link between the injuries he has suffered and any wrongdoing on the part of Defendants due to the faulty and defective nature of the Pinnacle Device and to the failure of Defendants to properly warn him and his physicians about the Pinnacle Devices’ defective and faulty nature,” the metal hip implant lawsuit stated,

Timothy and Nancy have brought forth multiple counts against the manufacturer including negligence, failure to warn, manufacturing and design defect, negligent misrepresentation, fraud and loss of consortium (loss of spousal companionship).

The DePuy Pinnacle Metal Hip Replacement Lawsuit is Case No. 3:15-cv-03976-K filed as part of the larger Pinnacle Hip Implant MDL In re: L DePuy Orthopaedics Inc. Pinnacle Hip Implant Product Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2244, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division.

DePuy Hip Replacement Complications

The DePuy Pinnacle device is a metal-on-metal hip implant, and according to the metal hip implant lawsuit, approximately 150,000 of these devices have been sold to date. Other hip implants have metal but contain a plastic liner to protect the metal parts from rubbing together, but the DePuy Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System uses a cobalt-chromium metal liner, which is why it is referred to as a “metal-on-metal” device.

The metal toxicity allegedly caused by the implant can cause disruption to the endocrine system, affecting hormonal function, and can cause damage and disease to various organs, causing them to fail.

DePuy Pinnacle Hip Implant Lawsuit Information

Due to the large number of hip implant lawsuits filed by plaintiffs alleging injury due to the Pinnacle device, a multidistrict litigation (MDL) was created. Hip implant multidistrict litigation is different from a hip implant class action lawsuit in that multidistrict litigation  lawsuits are still filed individually but are part of a larger group of lawsuits. All of the lawsuits in an MDL are transferred to a single court under a single judge.

In an MDL, pretrial proceedings happen all at once to uncover information that is common to all of the cases. Also, because the information is heard by one judge, outcomes and rulings are more consistent, and the streamlined approach can help more cases be heard in a shorter amount of time.

If you or a loved one has experienced metallosis, pain, inflammation or other injury or required a hip revision surgery to address any issues caused by your initial hip implant, you may have a legal claim. A metal hip implant attorney can review your case at no charge and can help you in determining your legal options and eligibility to file a metal-on-metal hip implant lawsuit.