Johnson & Johnson and subsidiary DePuy Orthopaedics are facing a new metal hip implant lawsuit, after a patient reports allegedly suffering injuries from their Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System.

The man alleges that he suffered multiple complications related to the metal on metal hip implant, including debilitating pain and blood metal poisoning.

Indiana plaintiff Floyd R. had opted for the companies’ all metal Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System hip implant after reviewing the marketing advertisements.

Floyd underwent total right hip replacement surgery on Dec. 01, 2008, with the hopes that he would gain complete mobility in his pelvis.

However, the complications often reported with many metal hip implants soon occurred in Floyd, including the blood metal poisoning condition known as metallosis.

Due to the all metal components of the Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System, the ball and socket joint can reportedly shed metal ions into the bloodstream when the components interact. This complication can lead to corrosion, pain, infection to the surrounding bone and tissue.

Floyd had dangerously high levels of metal ions, and had suffered inflammation on his entire lower right side. Due to the complications of the metal hip implant, Floyd had the Pinnacle Acetabular Cup hip implant removed on Sept. 14, 2015.

He had to have a different hip implant to replace the Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System metal hip implant, and continues to suffer harm and damage from hip implant complications, according to his lawsuit.

Overview of Metal Hip Implant Complications

When all metal hip implants were first released to the market, many predicted they would be overtly superior to their plastic and ceramic counterparts.

This is because the all metal components were thought to be more durable and longer lasting, and many of them were customizable to each specific patient.

However, not long after they were released into the market, numerous patients reported problems allegedly caused by all their metal hip implants.

Ever since DePuy Orthopaedics launched the Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System in 2001, there have been over 1,300 injury reports submitted to the FDA regarding Pinnacle metal hip implants.

At no point before or after Floyd had the Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System implanted and removed respectively, was he aware of the potential metal hip implant complications.

He was also unaware of the high failure rate of metal hip implants, and alleged that the companies deliberately withheld this information to protect their product’s market value, he states in his lawsuit.

Floyd says that he never would have opted to have the Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System if he had known the risks associated with the device. He is seeking compensation for his medical expenses, and is bringing forward multiple charges of negligence.

The DePuy Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System Lawsuit is Case No. 3:16-cv-02473, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Northern Texas, Dallas Division.