In November 2017, six plaintiffs won a $245 million lawsuit against pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson. A federal jury in Dallas found that Johnson & Johnson was responsible for the defects present in their Pinnacle hip implants and awarded each of the six plaintiffs between $37 million and $49 million.
The defective implants were found responsible for causing metallosis, an extremely painful type of metal poisoning. This condition can cause swelling, bone deterioration, dislocation, and aseptic fibrosis. Metallosis is believed to occur when metal components of implants scrape against each other, resulting in a build-up of metal debris in and on the soft tissue surrounding the location of the implant.
Corporations are obligated to disclose the potential risk of metal poisoning to all customers prior to surgery. The plaintiffs in the Pinnacle hip implant case say that Johnson & Johnson did not warn them about the potential for the implants to erode and cause metallosis. Despite being aware of the potential risks, Johnson and Johnson still proceeded to market their product.
This is not the first time Johnson & Johnson has been the defendant in a civil lawsuit over their hip implants. In recent years, the company and its brand, DePuy, have faced thousands of lawsuits over another metal-on-metal hip implant, the ASR. Over 9,000 lawsuits over ASR hip implants have been pursued against Johnson & Johnson.
If you believe that a hip implant has harmed you or a loved one, a defective products attorney at Whitley Law Firm is ready to seek damages for you. Please do not hesitate to reach out to our committed team to learn more about holding a corporation accountable for the injuries they caused you.
