A Rhode Island resident recently filed a lawsuit against Stryker, alleging she suffered from side effects caused by a recalled LFIT V40 femoral head component.

The plaintiff in this newest Stryker lawsuit, Mary G., was implanted with an LFIT V40 femoral head in March 2010. Unfortunately, the lawsuit claims, Mary began experiencing severe side effects after implantation including metallosis, which led to bodily injury, disability, physical impairment, aggravation of a pre-existing condition, emotional distress, and financial losses, among others.

Because of these complications, Mary claims, she had the LFIT V40 femoral head explanted in January 2014.

According to the lawsuit, Mary’s injuries were a direct result of implantation with the since- recalled LFIT V40 femoral head device. Mary filed this lawsuit on March 26, 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island. The lawsuit was filed on multiple counts, including negligence, defective design, manufacturing defect, breach of express and implied warranties, and several others.

This is just the latest in a number of lawsuits Stryker faces over its recalled LFIT V40 femoral head device, with plaintiffs claiming that they were not adequately warned about the risks. If you or someone you love have suffered from side effects after implantation with the recalled LFIT V40 femoral head, and even had to have the device removed, you may be able to file a lawsuit against Stryker and receive compensation.

The Stryker Hip Implant Recall

Since the initial reports of problems, after Stryker received more and more complaints about its LFIT V40 femoral head, the company recalled the component. The recall was issued in November 2016, affecting more than 42,000 total devices nationwide and internationally.

According to the FDA’s recall announcement, Stryker’s reason for recalling the device was “incidence of harm secondary to taper lock failure” in the recalled LFIT V40 femoral head components.

The Stryker recall came after reports of side effects were associated with Stryker’s V40 femoral head component, including metallosis. Metallosis is a kind of metal poisoning that can occur when the metals rub together, releasing metal particles that move into the bloodstream. Excessive levels of metals can lead to further complications.

Several other Stryker hip products that can be used with the V40 femoral head were affected by the Stryker V40 femoral head recall. These include the Accolade TMZF, Accolade 2, Citation stems, and Meridian stems. Stryker hip implants have also been linked with dislocation and dissociation of the device.

In many cases, serious side effects like device failure or metallosis can require revision surgery to fix, replacing the defective implant. However, any additional surgery brings with it its own risks of complications, infection, and further medical expenses.

Filing a Lawsuit Over the Recalled LFIT V40 Femoral Head

If you or someone you love was implanted with a metal hip implant containing the recalled LFIT V40 femoral head and have suffered from these or other side effects, you may be able to file a class action lawsuit. While filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering from recalled LFIT V40 femoral head side effects, it can help to alleviate the financial burden of medical expenses and lost wages from these injuries.

The Recalled LFIT V40 Femoral Head Lawsuit is Case No. 1:18-cv-00148-JJM-PAS, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island.