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Are You Within the Minnesota Stryker Hip Statute of Limitations?
Many recipients of a Stryker Rejuvenate or ABGII were extremely dismayed to hear of the Stryker hip recall in July, 2012. The Stryker hip recall came quickly on the heels of an Urgent Field Safety Notification issued to surgeons and hospitals in April, 2012. Stryker conceded that the Rejuvenate and ABGII had a higher-than-normal rate of failure and were prone to corrosion and fretting, leading to the release of cobalt and chromium ions. Each state operates under a statute of limitations in product liability cases, allowing consumers only a certain length of time in which to file a lawsuit such as a Minnesota Stryker hip lawsuit.
In the state of Minnesota, action must be brought within four years of the date the injury occurred.
Because Minnesota is a state with one of the longer statutes you may feel there is no urgency in pursuing a Minnesota Stryker hip lawsuit. Unfortunately, the Minnesota Stryker hip statute of limitations can be complex and difficult to apply to your particular case without the help of a highly qualified Minnesota Stryker hip lawyer.
In fact, there is really no way to determine whether your limited window of opportunity is closing in without speaking to an experienced Minnesota Stryker hip lawyer.
If you have suffered harm and injury from a device you believed to be safe, it is important that you take the time to speak to an attorney about your future at the earliest possible opportunity.
What are the Problems Associated with the Rejuvenate and ABGII?
At the time the Rejuvenate and ABGII were released, in early 2010, Stryker aggressively marketed the devices, claiming they were much safer than other metal-on-metal hip implants and that they would last much longer than other hip implants. Unfortunately, these claims turned out to be less than accurate. Despite the use of a ceramic, rather than metal ball, the Stryker Rejuvenate and ABGII implants suffered fretting and corrosion at the neck junction as well as underneath the small metal trunnions located on either end of the neck component. Additionally, after the Stryker hip recall, further research found that because Stryker used mismatched alloys (titanium stem and cobalt and chromium neck) there was a greater risk of corrosion. This corrosion can lead to metallosis and metal toxicity in patients—both serious conditions.
When a patient experiences metallosis, they may begin having pain in the thigh, groin and hip area due to inflammation. As time passes, and the cobalt and chromium shards continue to lodge in the hip tissues, bone and tissue can begin to deteriorate. The hip implant may eventually fail, and revision surgery will become necessary. When cobalt and chromium ions enter the bloodstream, they can be responsible for many serious health issues, including the following:
- Renal and thyroid disorders
- Loss of hearing and vision
- The development of pseudo-tumors
- DNA disruption
- Vertigo and memory loss
- Irritability, anxiety and depression
- Memory loss
- Reproductive disorders
- The development of certain types of cancer
How a Minnesota Stryker Hip Lawyer Can Help
If you have suffered harm due to the Stryker hip recall and a defective ABGII or Rejuvenate, it is important that you speak to an experienced Minnesota Stryker hip lawyer as soon as possible. Your future is at stake, and should the Minnesota Stryker hip statute of limitations pass you by, you could find yourself unable to recover damages for the harm you have suffered due to a defective hip implant device.