An Illinois resident claims that Depuy Orthopaedics (Depuy) and Johnson & Johnson failed to adequately warn him and other hip implant recipients about the dangerous side effects and high failure rate of the Pinnacle hip implant device.

Plaintiff Gary G. has filed a hip implant lawsuit against Depuy and Johnson & Johnson, claiming he sustained severe hip replacement complications as a direct result of Depuy and Johnson & Johnson’s defective manufacturing and marketing of the Pinnacle Device.

Gary received the Pinnacle Hip Implant with an Ultamet Liner in November 2009 during a left total hip arthroplasty. Gary claims that following surgery, he suffered from severe inflammation and pain, tissue and bone loss, and other related diseases caused by metal debris from the defective hip implant. According to the hip implant lawsuit, Gary had to undergo premature hip revision surgery to have the Pinnacle device removed.

Gary further alleges Depuy took no steps to properly warn him and his physicians about the Pinnacle hip implant’s defective and faulty nature, and that the manufacturer had a duty to warn about adverse harmful effects.

Gary is seeking judgment for economic and non-economic losses, punitive and exemplary damages, pain and suffering, loss of earnings, medical expenses, and attorney’s fees and court costs.

Pinnacle Hip Implant Complications

DePuy Orthopaedics has received numerous adverse event reports regarding their metal-on-metal Pinnacle hip implant, though the company has not issued a Pinnacle hip recall as of yet. The company asserts that there is no defect in the design of the Pinnacle hip replacement, though several DePuy Pinnacle hip implant lawsuits allege that the company is concealing the defect and has misrepresented that the hip replacement is a safe and effective medical device.

The following are among potential DePuy Pinnacle hip implant complications when the device is used with a metal liner:

• Unexplained hip pain
• Pinnacle hip implant failure
• Difficulty walking or standing
• Loosening of the DePuy Pinnacle hip replacement
• Need for hip replacement revision surgery
• Metallosis (metal poisoning)

Pinnacle Hip Implant Lawsuits

In essence, hip implant lawsuits over DePuy’s Pinnacle device charge that the hip implant sheds metallic debris into the recipient’s blood stream due to the grinding of the metal-on-metal components against each other. This causes swelling, pain and metallosis, which can be particularly toxic. The device also causes other complications that can require hip revision surgery to correct.

Although DePuy Pinnacle never officially recalled the Pinnacle device, patients experiencing DePuy Pinnacle problems may be able to file a hip implant lawsuit to recover compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering and other damages resulting from their hip implant problems.

The Depuy Pinnacle Hip Implant Lawsuit is Case No. 3:15-cv-01407-K, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division.