A Michigan couple recently filed a lawsuit against DePuy, claiming that its Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System is defective and caused serious injuries.

The plaintiff, Michael S., says he was implanted with a Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System during his right total hip replacement in May 2009, and later with another Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System for his left hip that July. In the following years, however, Michael says he has experienced increasingly problematic complications, and is set to undergo hip revision surgery for both the left and right hip devices.

The revision surgery was necessitated, the lawsuit claims, by hip implant failure and dangerously high levels of metal in the blood, which can cause its own problems.

Michael filed his Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System lawsuit against DePuy on multiple counts, including negligence, and breach of express and implied warranties. Michael’s wife, Michele, also filed for loss of consortium.

Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System Background

The hip replacement device involved in these allegations is the DePuy Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System, manufactured by DePuy Orthopaedics. The Pinnacle was released onto the market in 2001, and is used to replace hip joints damaged by a number of conditions.

Since its release, the Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System has become a widely popular hip replacement option for thousands across the country. According to its manufacturers, nearly 150,000 people have gone through a total hip replacement with this particular system so far.

Though DePuy markets its device as safe and effective, hip replacement lawsuits allege that the company is aware of a link between its Pinnacle device and a number of hip replacement problems, including metallosis, toxicity, and a high rate of failure.

In fact, this couple’s lawsuit claims that over 1,300 adverse event reports have been filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over the Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System since the device was released. For some, like Michael and Michele, these issues have led to litigation. Thousands of lawsuits have so far been filed over serious problems with the Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System. Many are being consolidated into multidistrict litigation, or MDL. Australia has even taken the DePuy Pinnacle hip devices off their medical market because of its high rate of failure.

Filing a Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System Lawsuit

Lawsuits claim that the device’s manufacturers failed to adequately warn the public and the medical community about the risks associated with the Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System. Moreover, the plaintiffs allege DePuy actively concealed the device’s defects as well as its early rate of failure and known complications.

Had the plaintiffs been adequately informed of these risks, they say they may not have had the device implanted in the first place and could have avoided these painful hip replacement problems.

If you or someone you love has experienced hip replacement problems due to the Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System, you may be able to file a lawsuit or join a DePuy Pinnacle MDL.

The Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System Lawsuit is Case No. 2:17-cv-12987-SJM-MKM, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.