Hip Implant Lawyer in Sacramento
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento personal injury lawyer. Today I will be discussing metal poisoning or metallosis after a hip implant. This happens with metal-on-metal joint replacement devices and can be devastating.
For the victims of metallosis, this involves debilitating symptoms, additional surgeries, and in some instances, death. I’ve practiced law since 1982 and have focused on helping clients recover damages from negligent parties. I’d like to show you how companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Biomet and others have caused significant harm to those who receive the implants.
What Is Metallosis?
Metallosis is caused by the leaching of metal into the tissues and bloodstream. It occurs when the replacement ball and cup portions of a Metal-on-Metal (MoM) hip replacement apparatus rub against one another as the hip joint is used. While it can happen with knee and elbow replacement devices, the stress placed on the hip joint and hip implant design makes this phenomenon most frequently seen with hip replacements.
As the metal particles accumulate, a toxic reaction can be seen in the tissues surrounding the joint as well as systemically. Systemic or body-level reactions are caused as the metal particles enter the bloodstream. Once this happens, the level of metal in the blood leads to wide-ranging symptoms.
Symptoms of Metallosis
The symptoms of metallosis depend on whether the metal deposits have moved beyond the tissues surrounding the hip prosthesis. Once the particles enter the bloodstream, they are carried to other organs. The level of metal in the blood commonly used to designate toxicity is reached and surpassed. The symptoms include:
- Heart enlargement that can lead to heart failure
- Nervous system problems
- Hearing difficulty leading to deafness
- Thinking difficulties
- Problems with vision that can lead to blindness
- Depression or anxiety
- Hip clicking
- Infection
The implant may also become loosened, causing significant walking difficulties.
Detection and Treatment
Metallosis can be detected in a variety of ways. X-rays and MRIs are done to visualize the placement of the implant. Blood tests and specific tests for heart involvement are also performed.
Once it is clear that the hip implant has been compromised, a new implant is used to replace the defective one. In some cases, resurfacing techniques are used. Both require invasive surgery, putting the patient at risk of complications. In some instances, several surgeries are required.
If considerable tissue has been destroyed, it must be removed before the new hip implant is placed. This can lead to joint instability even after a new hip implant has been inserted, reducing the success of the surgery.
If other complications such as heart failure occurred because of metallosis, death can occur. Blindness can result if the eyes are affected.
Lawsuits
As with other defective medical devices, the manufacturers, including Johnson & Johnson, knew that the MoM hip implants had a high probability of failure. In addition, the company failed to alert doctors and patients about this. As more recipients of the implants were harmed, lawsuits began.
The lawsuits cited faulty design. This is a major component of defective products liability.
One of the major lawsuits involved J&J. The hip implant lawyers involved in the case claimed J&J’s DePuy unit that made the Pinnacle hip were negligent. In December, 2016, a Texas jury agreed and handed down a verdict of $30 million in general and economic damages along with punitive damages of approximately $1 billion. Punitive damages are awarded for egregious negligence.
Roughly 8,000 additional cases are yet to be heard. The Texas verdict is a sign that J&J needs to address these lawsuits.
Sacramento Metal-on-Metal Hip Implant Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Metal-on-Metal hip implant lawyer. If you or a loved one has suffered injury due to a defective hip implant, please call me anytime at (916) 921-6400 or toll free at (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly advice.
I am a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum in California. Forum membership is limited to attorneys who have obtained settlements and verdicts that exceeded $1 million.
You can review my Past Verdicts and Settlements page to read about some of my previous cases.
My client reviews are available on Yelp, Google, and Avvo.
Image Attribution: Personal Injury Lawyer – Edward A Smith
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