On Monday, November 3, 2014, a Kalamazoo, Michigan-based orthopedic device manufacturer, Stryker Orthopedics and Howmedica Osteonics Corp., agreed to pay at least $1.43 billion to settle lawsuits pending around the United States. The lawsuits were filed by thousands of patients who received two (2) different defective hip implants, which were recalled by Styker in 2012 due to corrosion and other various problems. Defective hip litigation has seen several large settlements over the past few years, with John & Johnson agreeing to a $2.5 billion settlement just last year to settle some 8,000 lawsuits from patiets alleging that the company’s metal ball-and-socket hip implant caused them injury or had to be replaced or removed entirely.
The Styker settlement will include all pending state and federal claims, and will include plaintiffs from 39 different states. The claims include corrosion which occurred in the patients’ bodies causing illness, as well as removing and replacing the implant with a new device, a procedure known as a revision. According to attorneys who lead the settlement negotiations, “[t]he settlement represents one of the largest medical device settlements with an unlimited compensation fund.” Stryker expects to make most of the payments under the settlement by the end of 2015.
The law firm of Hollis Wright is currently representing numerous individuals who have been injured by these Stryker products. Complex litigation against large medical device manufacturers demands specialized legal experience. If you or a loved one believe you have been harmed by a defective medical device or product, contact the firm of Hollis Wright for more information and evaluation.