Johnson & Johnson Pays for Massive Failure of Metal-on-Metal Hip Implants

writing check

Repairing the Damage May Cost Medical Products Giant Upwards of $2.5 Billion

Johnson & Johnson's now-recalled metal-on-metal hip implant, known at the Articular Surface Replacement (ASR), ranks as one of the most-flawed medical implants sold in recent decades. Thousands of patients were forced to have it removed and replaced with another device. Now, Johnson & Johnson may pay upwards of $2.5 billion to an estimated 8,000 injured patients in an attempt to repair the damage caused by the faulty hip implant.

Beginning in 2003, over 93,000 patients received the ASR, with 1/3 in the United States. The settlement agreement seeks to compensate patients who had to undergo invasive surgery after their implant failed. Johnson & Johnson has also agreed to separately pay the medical bills for these procedures, which could cost them an additional $500 million. Some of these patients suffered crippling pain and mounting tissue damage for years as the all-metal implant shed metallic debris inside their bodies.

The agreement must receive the support of 94 percent of eligible claimants to go forward, but not all injured patients will receive equal compensation. Each patient's individual settlement amount depends on a variety of factors and is based on the severity of their injuries.

This settlement comes after years of Johnson & Johnson denying that a problem existed with the hip implant.

Metal-on-Metal Hip Implant Injuries—Get Legal Help from Our Pennsylvania Attorneys

If your metal-on-metal hip implant failed and you needed more surgery to fix the problems, or if you suffered from extreme pain and other injuries related to your hip implant, contact Edgar Snyder & Associates today. You may have a defective medical product case.

Call us toll-free at 412-394-1000, or fill out the form at the top right of this webpage to get started with a free legal consultation. There's no obligation to use our services. We'll answer your questions and tell you if we think you have a metal-on-metal hip implant case. The clock is ticking, because there are time limits to file a claim. Call today.

Source: “Johnson & Johnson offers $2.5 billion to settle hip suits.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. November 20, 2013.