Woman’s Biomet Metal Hip Implant Failed, Causing Pain, Need for Revision Surgery, Alleges Lawsuit Filed by Parker Waichman LLP
New York, New York (PRWEB) July 19, 2013 -- Parker Waichman LLP, a national law firm dedicated to protecting the rights of victims injured by defective medical devices, has filed a lawsuit on behalf of a North Carolina woman who alleges that her Biomet M2a Magnum hip implant is defective and caused her injuries, as well as the need for revision surgery. The suit was filed on May 30, 2013 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, South Bend Division (Case No. 3:13-cv-510). It is one of many cases pending in the multidistrict litigation entitled In re: Biomet M2a Magnum Hip Implants Products Liability Litigation (MDL No. 3:12-md-2391). Biomet, Inc., and Biomet Orthopedics, LLC have been named as Defendants.
According to the Complaint, the Plaintiff was implanted in her left hip with the M2a Magnum system on Sept. 27, 2006. The lawsuit alleges that by this time, the Defendants were already aware of over 100 adverse event reports linked to the device but that they had failed to disclose this information to the Plaintiff. Instead, the suit alleges, the Defendants misrepresented the implant as safe and effective. Allegedly, the Plaintiff’s surgeon would not have implanted the device if not for the misrepresentations made by the Defendants.
The lawsuit alleges that, as a result of the M2a Magnum’s defective design, the Plaintiff’s hip implant failed, causing severe pain. As a result of this, on Aug. 3, 2011, she underwent a complex, risky revision surgery to replace the hip device. The suit alleges that revision surgeries are generally more complex than initial implantation, typically because there is less bone to work with; revisions usually take longer than the original hip surgery and have a higher rate of complications. The Plaintiff is suing for economic damages (including lost wages, as well as medical and hospital expenses), severe and possibly permanent injuries, pain, suffering and emotional distress.
The Biomet M2a Magnum is a type of metal-on-metal hip implant. Metal-on-metal hip devices have been recalled worldwide and patients whose hips failed have filed numerous lawsuits. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has put this class of medical device under scrutiny following reports of high failure rates and the release of high concentrations of metallic debris into the bloodstream. On Jan. 17, 2013, the FDA released new guidelines for patients implanted with all-metal devices. The agency advised physical examinations, diagnostic imaging and metal ion testing in symptomatic patients.
Additionally, new data from Canadian suggests that those implanted with metal-on-metal hips are more likely to need revision surgery within five years, according to a July 18 CBC News report. Specifically, according to the Canadian Institutes for Health Information study, people who have had metal-on-metal implants faced a 5.9 percent chance of needing the implant replaced within five years, compared to a 2.7 percent rate among those with metal-on-plastic implants. The all-metal implant design did not work as expected, CBC News reported. It was found that, under the body’s weight during daily activity, the implant’s metal parts rub against each other. Metal particles can then shed into the person’s surrounding tissue and into their bloodstream, causing bone and tissue damage (called metallosis), as well as pseudotumors and the need for early revision surgery to remove and replace the hip.
Parker Waichman LLP continues to offer free legal consultations to victims of metal-on-metal hip implant injuries. If you or a loved one experienced premature failure of your implant or other health problems associated with a metal-on-metal hip implant, please contact their office by visiting the firm's Defective Hip Implant page at yourlawyer.com. Free case evaluations are also available by calling 1 800 LAW INFO (1-800-529-4636).
Contact:
Parker Waichman LLP
Gary Falkowitz, Managing Attorney
(800) LAW-INFO
(800) 529-4636
http://www.yourlawyer.com
Gary Falkowitz, Parker Waichman LLP, http://www.yourlawyer.com, 1-800-529-4636, [email protected]
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