An Alabama couple recently filed a hip replacement lawsuit against medical device manufacturer Biomet, Inc., alleging that the company’s M2a Magnum hip implant was defective.

Plaintiff Pamela S. filed this hip replacement lawsuit along with her husband Tim after her hip replacement surgery went wrong.

In August 2010, Pamela underwent a right hip replacement surgery and was implanted with a Biomet metal-on-metal M2a Magnum Hip System.

During a routine checkup in December 2014, an x-ray revealed that a piece of Pamela’s hip implant had shifted from its original positon.

Her doctor determined that the shifting device had released extremely high levels of metal ions into her body – a dangerous condition known as metallosis. According to her surgeon, the chromium and cobalt levels were “astronomically” and dangerously high.

Because of the danger involved in high levels of metal ions in the bloodstream, Pamela underwent revision surgery to remove both the Biomet hip implant and metal debris.

Not only does hip replacement revision surgery require monetary expenses and the pain of surgery, but it also increases the likelihood of further problems, the lawsuit states.

Hip Replacement Failure Risks

According to a hip replacement study from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, patients who have experienced hip replacement failure and go through revision surgery are four times more likely to experience hip dislocation than patients who have had a single hip replacement surgery.

This hip replacement lawsuit claims that it was Biomet’s responsibility to determine that the metal hip implant was defective. Biomet is responsible, the lawsuit alleges, in part because Biomet did not adequately test the device before releasing it onto the market.

According to Pamela’s hip replacement lawsuit and others like it, the M2a Magnum Hip System allows for its metal parts to rub against each other as a person moves, putting the device under strain and pressure, and ultimately causing the metal to corrode, causing premature hip replacement failure.

This metal can then spread throughout the body, which can present serious and painful complications for the patient. In many cases, these problems can cause a patient’s body to reject the implant.

Filing a Hip Replacement Lawsuit

Pamela’s hip replacement lawsuit claims that Biomet either knew or should have known about the hip replacement failure risks associated with its M2a Magnum device, but instead of warning the public and the medical community about these problems, the company continued to market its product as safe and effective.

This hip replacement lawsuit was filed on multiple counts, including negligence, failure to warn, design defect, and several others.

If you or someone you know has gone through a hip replacement surgery only to experience pain or evidence of high levels of metal ions, there may be a link.

Filing a hip replacement lawsuit can result in compensation of up to hundreds of thousands of dollars, which could help with medical bills, as well as the pain and suffering caused by the defective medical device.

If you or someone you know has had a hip replacement and later experienced pain or other complications, you may be able to file a hip replacement surgery lawsuit.

The Biomet Hip Replacement Lawsuit is Case No. 2:15-cv-01180-RDP, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.