Defective Medical Devices – Hip Replacement Recall Lawsuits in South Carolina

As the population of South Carolina population and the rest of the United States ages, health issues such as the deterioration of the hip joint become more common. People experience pain and stiffness in the hip and difficulty walking, which can often lead to the need for hip replacement surgery. A surgeon takes an artificial hip device and implants it into the body of the patient fusing it to the bone and replacing the original, deteriorated hip joint. Certain medical device manufacturers such as DePuy Orthopaedics, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, Stryker Corp. and Zimmer Holdings, Inc. sold implanted hip replacement devices that had astronomical failure rates and had to be recalled.

These manufacturers rushed these medical devices to market without adequate testing and research to evaluate how safe these devices were and if they performed properly.

Problems with defective hip implants

These poorly designed hip replacement devices cause many problems in the bodies in which they are implanted, including:

• Bone loss caused by the friction from the device loosening
• Metalosis from the metal-on-metal construction of some of the hip implants
• Clicking and grinding in the area of the hip implant
• Dislocation or loosening of the implant
• Infection
• Severe pain
• Pseudo tumors
• Inflammation

When the people who have had a hip implant experience these and other symptoms, it often results in revision surgery to remove the defective device.

What can you do if your hip implant has been recalled

If the manufacturer of the device that has been implanted in your body recalls that device, you will likely be contacted by your doctor or the manufacturer and approach you with offers to remove the recalled device. You are advised to be wary of signing any documents before you speak to an attorney. You may have to give up your right to take legal action against them in the future.

Defective hip implant lawsuits

If you have had a defective hip implant you may be able to take legal action against the manufacturer. You can recover damages to compensate you for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages and any other losses you may have suffered as a result of the defective hip implant.

If you have been injured by a defective hip implant medical device you might want to talk to a knowledgeable products liability attorney today who will review your medical records and advise you of your legal options.

If you would like to speak to a South Carolina products liability attorney about your case, you are welcome to contact the experienced attorneys at McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC today to schedule a consultation today.