A resident of the state of New York has filed a Pinnacle hip implant lawsuit against DePuy, alleging the hip replacement device caused serious injuries.

The plaintiff, Joann V., alleges she was first implanted with a DePuy Pinnacle device on Sept. 21, 2009. The specific device used was the Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System, a popular option for hip implant patients.

However, in the years following this surgery, Joann says she has suffered from physical injuries and damages caused by the implant, which she alleges is defective.

According to her Pinnacle hip implant lawsuit, Joann has suffered more than just physical injuries. She has also been hit with medical, rehabilitative, and pharmaceutical expenses, along with lost wages.

It was only recently that Joann heard of a causal link between the Pinnacle hip device and injuries like hers. In response, she filed this Pinnacle hip implant lawsuit on Nov. 27 in New York on multiple counts, including manufacturing defect, design defect, failure to warn, negligence, breach of express and implied warranties, negligent and fraudulent misrepresentation, and consumer fraud, among several others.

The DePuy Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System

The Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System is manufactured by DePuy Orthopaedics, and it entered the market in 2001 after approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This device was designed to “provide pain relief and consistent and smooth range of motion,” and was marketed as superior to other hip devices available. The Pinnacle device is used to replace hip joints damaged by a variety of conditions. DePuy’s Pinnacle device is widely used all across the country.

Joann’s Pinnacle hip implant lawsuit and others like it allege that DePuy is actually aware of the link between its Pinnacle device and a number of major hip replacement complications, including metallosis, toxicity, muscle and tissue damage, and a high failure rate.

A 2006 study published in the Journal of Arthroplasty reported that Pinnacle devices had an extremely high rate of problems. “90.5% of [Pinnacle] cups showed measurable compression deformity…[which] may result in negative clinical consequences such as equatorial loading with increased wear and potential seizing of components…or locking mechanism damage.”

Later, in a 2010 study, the Journal of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery reported that these devices were associated with very high levels of cobalt and chromium in the blood.

A great number of patients may be in danger of these side effects. Indeed, around 150,000 Pinnacle devices have been sold, and DePuy itself has claimed in promotional materials that “99.9% of Pinnacle Hip components are still in use today.”

According to the Pinnacle hip implant lawsuit, the FDA has received more than 1,300 adverse event reports over problems with the device, including device failure.

The DePuy hip implant lawsuit claims that DePuy was actually aware about its device’s serious risks, including metallosis and a high rate of failure, yet failed to give adequate warning about these risks to patients and the medical community.

Filing a DePuy Pinnacle Hip Implant Lawsuit

If you or someone you love has suffered from hip replacement problems after implantation with the DePuy Pinnacle device, you may be able to file a Pinnacle hip implant lawsuit. Though filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by DePuy defects, it can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses and lost wages.

The Pinnacle Hip Implant Lawsuit is Case No. 1:17-cv-01219-CCR, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York.