DePuy Orthopaedic, a business unit of Johnson & Johnson,
will be facing billions of dollars in costs for compensatory claims over
artificial hip recall lawsuits, legal experts say. The DePuy ASR hip implants is one of its two
recalled artificial hip devices that is facing about 8,000 lawsuit, for which the litigation schedule has already been laid out.
The company pulled back its metal ASR hip system a year ago
after it failed at a higher-than-expected rate, with some patients experiencing
pain, swelling, joint dislocation and sometimes systemic damage to the central
nervous system, thyroid and heart which triggered them to file a lawsuit.
However, DePuy lawyers are taking an unusual approach to
managing the crisis—one that could limits financial exposure. Just recently,
the company paid $200,000 for each of its three complainants to resolve the
lawsuits before they were scheduled to go to trial later this year (although
some of the schedule has already been announced).
Over the years, nearly all orthopedic implants were made from
plastic or ceramic. But in the last 10 years some surgeons began to support
implants made with metal stems and sockets. Laboratory examinations recommended
that the devices may be more resilient to wear and may reduce the chances of
dislocation. But recent data gathered by surgeons in the United Kingdom appear
to show just the opposite.
People who are suffering the excruciating pain of
osteoarthritis usually undergo hip replacement. It is an age-related “wear and
tear” type of arthritis. Like other chronic conditions, It has no single,
specific cause. Instead, there are several factors involved in the disease,
including heredity and lifestyle. It usually occurs in people 50 years of age
and older and often in individuals with a family history of arthritis.
The gravity of pain in men and women suffering from
osteoarthritis may vary, depending on which joint are affected and how
seriously they are being afflicted. The most common indications are experiencing
stiffness, particularly, first thing in the morning or after resting, and pain.
The most commonly affected joints are the lower back pains, feet and knees.
When those joints are in pain, the person may have difficulty in doing simple
tasks such as walking, climbing stairs and lifting objects. To know more about
related issues check the DePuy hip ASR lawsuit.
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