DePuy Pinnacle Hip Lawsuit News: European Regulators Weigh in on Metal-on-Metal Hip Implant Risks, Bernstein Liebhard LLP Reports
New York, New York (PRWEB) October 28, 2014 -- As thousands of plaintiffs continue to pursue DePuy Pinnacle hip lawsuits (http://www.consumerinjurylawyers.com/depuy-pinnacle/lawyer) for injuries they allegedly sustained from an all-metal version of the hip replacement device, Bernstein Liebhard LLP notes that European regulators have issued their final opinion on the safety of metal-on-metal hips. In a report issued on October 9, 2014, the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Emerging Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) cautioned that all-metal hip implants may be associated with local and/or systemic adverse health effects, and that implants with large diameters have the highest incidence of such reactions. The report advises that the use of large-head metal-on-metal hip implants should be avoided due to their high failure risk. The use of all other metal-on-metal hips should be carefully considered on a case-by-case basis, due to their associated health risks.*
“Our Firm is representing numerous clients in DePuy Pinnacle lawsuits and other metal-on-metal hip claims, all of which allege the all-metal designs place recipients at risk for premature failure and other debilitating complications. This report is just the latest to highlight the dangers potentially associated with this class of hip implant,” says Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationwide law firm representing victims of dangerous drugs and medical devices. The Firm is currently offering free Pinnacle hip lawsuit reviews to individuals who may have been injured following implantation of the metal-on-metal version of the hip system.
DePuy Pinnacle Hip Litigation
Court documents indicate that more than 6,900 DePuy Pinnacle hip lawsuits involving a metal-on-metal version of the device that utilizes the Ultamet liner are currently pending in a federal multidistrict litigation underway in U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas. All of the claims similarly allege that the all-metal design created by this configuration makes the hip implant prone to premature failure and other complications, including metallosis (metal ion poisoning) and chronic pain. Jeffrey S. Grand, a partner with Bernstein Liebhard LLP, is serving on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee for the federal proceeding. (In re: DePuy Orthopaedics Inc. Pinnacle Hip Implant Product Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2244)
In 2011, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) began a review of metal-on-metal hip implants, amid concerns that the devices could shed dangerous amounts of metal debris, leading to serious complications, including premature device failure. In January 2013, the FDA announced that its review indicated that metal-on-metal hips were associated with higher rates of early failure compared to those composed of other materials. The agency also advised patients fitted with all-metal hips to undergo testing for excessive levels of metal in their blood if they experienced any symptoms that would indicate their hip is not performing as it should. In addition, the FDA proposed new guidelines that, if adopted, would impose stricter regulatory controls on metal-on-metal hip implants.
The New York Times reported on May 17, 2013 that DePuy Orthopaedics had decided to phase out metal-on-metal hip implants, including the device named in Pinnacle hip lawsuits. In doing so, DePuy cited slowing sales, as well as the FDA’s actions in regard to all-metal hip devices.**
Victims of serious injuries allegedly caused by the metal-on-metal DePuy Pinnacle hip implant may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. Read more about the complications alleged in DePuy Pinnacle lawsuits at Bernstein Liebhard LLP’s website. For a free evaluation of your case, please contact the Firm by calling 800-511-5092 today.
*ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/emerging/docs/scenihr_o_042.pdf, SCENIHR, October 9, 2014
**nytimes.com/2013/05/17/business/jj-is-phasing-out-metal-replacement-hips.html?ref=health&_r=0
About Bernstein Liebhard LLP
Bernstein Liebhard LLP is a New York-based law firm exclusively representing injured persons in complex individual and class action lawsuits nationwide since 1993. As a national law firm, Bernstein Liebhard LLP possesses all of the legal and financial resources required to successfully challenge billion dollar pharmaceutical and medical device companies. As a result, our attorneys and legal staff have been able to recover more than $3 billion on behalf of our clients. The Firm has been named by The National Law Journal to the Plaintiffs’ Hot List, recognizing the top plaintiffs firms in the country, for the past 12 consecutive years. Bernstein Liebhard LLP is the only firm in the country to be named to this prestigious list every year since it was first published in 2003.
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Bernstein Liebhard LLP
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Felecia L. Stern, Bernstein Liebhard LLP, http://www.consumerinjurylawyers.com, +1 800-511-5092, [email protected]
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