The federal judge presiding in the DePuy Pinnacle metal hip implant case has selected Jan. 6, 2016, for the next trial date. Nine cases were selected for the upcoming trial in this next step of the legal proceedings. Between now and January, there are intermediate deadlines set for plaintiffs and defendants to compile additional documents for the proceedings.

More than 7,000 plaintiffs have filed lawsuits against Pinnacle’s manufacturer, DePuy Orthopaedics. The suits have been consolidated into an MDL (multidistrict litigation) in the Northern District of Texas.

Plaintiff Allegations Against DePuy’s Hip Implant

Plaintiffs have alleged that the Pinnacle hip implant caused severe injuries in patients, with some instances requiring surgery to repair the damage caused by the implants. The Pinnacle implant contains metal-on-metal components, and those were believed to be the cause of most of the injuries sustained.

DePuy is still in the midst of settling claims involving their ASR hip device, another metal-on-metal hip implant. The high rates of hip revision surgery also reported with the ASR prompted a DePuy hip recall for that model.

Currently, there is no recall for the Pinnacle implant. Only the ASR metal hip replacements are being recalled at this time.

The first trial regarding the Pinnacle was successfully defended by DePuy last fall. Some feel DePuy’s success was due to a plaintiff’s case that was not representative of the majority of Pinnacle injuries faced by most patients.

Hip Implant Side Effects

Hip implant failure and issues
caused by the implant itself both contribute to the side effects experienced by patients. Some common side effects include:

• Necrosis (death of tissue) or damage to the soft tissue due to metal particles that flake off during the wear of the implant
• Severe pain at the side of the implant, radiating to the groin and back
• Lysis (destruction/dissolution of cells)
• Hip Dislocation
• Cysts, masses, or fluid buildup around the joint
• Cobalt poisoning

Like other metals with unnaturally high concentrations in the body, cobalt can cause many adverse effects. Metallosis (metal poisoning) affects individuals throughout many different bodily symptoms and causes changes in mental functioning as well as physical issues.

A study in 2010 found that two patients with metal-on-metal implants had blood levels of cobalt 100 to 500 times the normal concentration in their bloodstream. Cobaltism, another name for cobalt poisoning, causes the following:

• Hearing issues such as deafness, ringing in ears (tinnitus)
• Heart Failure
• Hypothyroidism
• Mood disorders and dementia
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Rashes
• Shortness of breath on exertion
• Tremor
• Vertigo
• Visual changes

DePuy Hip Lawsuit Information for Personal Injury

If you or a loved one has suffered illness or injury from a DePuy or other hip implant (Stryker, Biomet, Wright and Zimmer are other implants), you may be eligible for monetary compensation. Experienced attorneys can consult with you about your eligibility to file or join a lawsuit at no charge or obligation to you.