In a Pinnacle hip trial over alleged hip implant defects, pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson has been hit with a $247 million verdict.

The six individual plaintiffs alleged that their Pinnacle hip devices caused a range of injuries, including severe tissue damage, permanent muscle loss, intense pain, loss of hip movement, walking with a permanent limp, and metallosis. Plaintiffs claimed that had the manufacturer given adequate warning about the risks of the device—and had the device itself been designed more safely—this risk could have been avoided.

The Pinnacle hip trial came to an end after a unanimous jury found both Johnson & Johnson and DePuy, one of its subsidiaries, liable on a number of counts. Specifically, the jury found both companies liable for several design and manufacturing defects, fraud and deceptive practices, and acting with wanton, reckless, or malicious conduct.

The Pinnacle hip trial jury granted the six plaintiffs a total of more than $77 million for medical expenses and pain and suffering. Four of their spouses were awarded $1.7 million total for loss of consortium claims.

Even some of the attorneys involved in the lawsuit were surprised at the massive Pinnacle hip trial verdict.

“I’m stunned the amount was that high,” said one of the attorneys for the plaintiffs, Mark Lanier, in a statement to Law360. “I’m overjoyed for the clients.”

The Pinnacle hip trial lasted for nine weeks, following litigation that lasted for six years.

Problems with the DePuy Pinnacle Hip Implant Device

The specific DePuy metal hip device that was the subject of this Pinnacle hip trial is the Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System, or Pinnacle device.

The Pinnacle device was released onto the hip implant market in 2001 and was intended to replace hip joints damaged by a number of conditions. The DePuy Pinnacle device is widely used for hip replacements all across the United States. According to the device’s manufacturers, nearly 150,000 patients have gone through a total hip replacement with this particular system alone.

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

Thousands of lawsuits have so far been filed over serious DePuy Pinnacle defects. Some have already gone to trial. A Pinnacle hip trial could reach a settlement or a verdict of millions of dollars in damages.

Filing a DePuy Pinnacle Hip Implant Lawsuit

Lawsuits claim that the Pinnacle device’s manufacturers failed to adequately warn the public and the medical community about the DePuy Pinnacle defects associated with the device.

If you or someone you love has experienced hip replacement problems due to DePuy Pinnacle defects, you may be able to file a DePuy metal hip implant lawsuit. While filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by DePuy metal hip implant defects, it can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses and lost wages.