The companies who design and manufacture the medical devices we use in healthcare today must thoroughly test their products before they are released to ensure they are safe. Companies are sometimes aware of problems with a product and fail to take corrective action, leading to defective medical device claims that can spawn civil litigation.
One such case stems from the DePuy hip replacement recall that was launched several years ago. The claims state the makers of the products, Johnson & Johnson, released two versions of the device—with testing only being conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The other was approved for use based on the results of testing of the similar product.
Thousands of patients had the device implanted with many needing corrective surgery a short time later. It was determined the metals the product was made with were prematurely wearing, causing patients to suffer swelling, pain, and inflammation at the surgical site. Some patients even developed a condition known as Metalosis, in which the body absorbed toxic levels of heavy metal into the blood stream after it wore from the device inside the patient.
An article Yahoo News explains it has now been discovered that Johnson & Johnson was aware of certain faults with the product, but failed to take any action to correct the issues.
If a defective DePuy hip replacement device harmed you, you may be entitled to compensation. At the law firm of Ferrer Poirot Feller Daniel, our team of defective medical product attorneys is available anytime to assess your situation and discuss your needs for legal representation. Call us anytime to talk about your case.