December 11, 2014 - Important Information for Arizona Residents with Stryker Hip Implants - Stryker Corporation has recently agreed to a 1.4 billion dollar settlement regarding its Rejuvenate and ABGII metal hips. Please take time to read a full explanation of the Stryker Hip Settlement Agreement.
Are You a Victim of the Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII Hip Recalls?
If you are one of the more than 20,000 people implanted with a Stryker Rejuvenate or ABGII hip implant device, you were likely very dismayed to hear of the recall notice, issued in July, 2012. The Stryker Rejuvenate and ABGII hip implants were designed to be an alternative to “true” metal-on-metal hip implants, as they have a ceramic, rather than a metal ball. The ABGII and Rejuvenate were also marketed specifically toward younger, more active individuals, with Stryker claiming the devices could be custom fit to the patient’s size, body type and level of activity. Unfortunately, little more than two years after the two devices were released, many patients began experiencing serious problems related to their Stryker hip device.
Status of Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII Hip Lawsuits
Over 2,300 lawsuits are currently filed against Stryker, however as the statute of limitations grows near for many of those with a recalled Stryker implant, it is expected many more lawsuits will follow. The current lawsuits have been consolidated into Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII multidistrict litigation, primarily in Minnesota and New Jersey, with fewer cases in Florida, Oregon, Michigan, Indiana and California. Judge Donovan W. Frank has issued an order designating how each lead case (among five specific case categories) will be tried. The categories include the type of device implanted (Rejuvenate or ABGII), the date of the initial implant surgery and revision surgery outcomes. Each “lead” case is also known as a bellwether event, and is meant to assist all those involved in determining how various juries could respond to testimony and evidence pertaining to the Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII hip lawsuits.
How the Arizona Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII Hip Statute of Limitations May Affect You
Once you have spoken to a qualified Arizona Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII hip lawyer, he or she will likely want to discuss the Arizona Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII hip statute of limitations with you. This is an extremely important issue, as those who miss their window of opportunity could be forever barred from receiving compensation for their injuries. With an implant failure rate anywhere from 12%-65%--depending on which research you believe—even those who have not yet experienced problems with their Stryker hip implant could do so in the future.
Most states operate under a two-year statute of limitations, and Arizona is no exception. However, while the Arizona Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII statute of limitations allows two years for a civil cause of action to be brought from the time your injury is discovered—or should have been discovered—only a qualified Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII hip lawyer can truly determine when your statute will run. Arizona also has a twelve year statute of repose, which runs from the time the device is sold; the statute of repose differs from the statute of limitations and is triggered by a specific event such as the date the device was manufactured, sold, purchased or delivered.
Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII Hip Implant Failure and Other Serious Medical Issues
Perhaps you have suffered Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII hip implant failure, Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII hip corrosion or Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII hip blood toxicity. All of these issues are extremely serious; when tiny metal ions shear away from the hip implant and land in the surrounding hip tissues, metallosis can occur, causing pain, inflammation, deterioration of bone and tissue and total failure of the implant. Metal toxicity occurs when the ions travel to the bloodstream, leading to a wide array of very serious medical issues, including the loss of vision and hearing.
How an Arizona Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII Hip Lawyer Can Help You
If you are an Arizona resident who has suffered injury from a recalled Stryker device—particularly in the following locales:
· Phoenix, AZ
· Tucson, AZ
· Mesa, AZ
· Chandler, AZ
· Glendale, AZ
· Scottsdale, AZ
· Tempe, AZ
· Peoria, AZ
—you are encouraged to contact an experienced Arizona Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII hip lawyer as soon as possible. A knowledgeable Arizona Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII hip lawyer can determine when your statute of limitations will run, and what compensation you can pursue for your injuries related to the Stryker hip recall.