January 22, 2015 - Illinois Resident with Stryker Hip Implants Will Want to Read This Important Notice: Recently, Stryker Corporation reached a 1.4 billion dollar Stryker Hip Settlement in its multidistrict litigation over its Stryker Rejuvenate and Stryker ABGII Metal Hip Implants.
What You Need to Know About Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII Hip Lawsuits
Following the recall issued in July, 2012, many recipients of a Stryker ABGII or Rejuvenate came forward to hold Stryker accountable for their injuries. Little more than two years after Stryker began aggressively marketing these two new hip implants to consumers, Stryker was forced to admit that, despite claims to the contrary, the ABGII and Rejuvenate might not be as safe as advertised. Not only did the two devices appear to have a higher-than-normal failure rate, fretting and corrosion was occurring at the neck junction, causing tiny metal ions to shear away from the implant.
Those ions would sometimes burrow into the surrounding hip tissues, causing symptoms of metallosis, such as chronic pain in the hip, groin and thigh areas, inflammation, deterioration of bone and tissue, total hip failure and the necessity of Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII hip revision surgery. Other times the cobalt and chromium ions would enter the bloodstream causing neurological, cardiovascular, renal, thyroid and gastrointestinal disorders as well as other serious health issues.
There are currently over 2,300 lawsuits filed against Stryker, with the majority of those being filed as Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII hip multidistrict litigation lawsuits in New Jersey and Minnesota. Approximately seventeen Stryker cases have been settled through mediation, and more are currently in the mediation process. Bellwether cases—those representative of a large number of other Stryker cases are also being set for trial. The outcome of these bellwether cases will allow all those involved in Stryker cases to have an idea of how the information associated with the cases will be received. If you were injured by a recalled Stryker hip implant, it is important that you speak to an Illinois Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII hip lawyer as soon as possible to avoid missing your window of opportunity.
How Will the Illinois Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII Statute of Limitations Affect You?
Illinois, like all states, has set a specific statute of limitations for product liability cases. This means you have only a certain length of time in which to file a lawsuit against the manufacturer of the device which is responsible for your injuries. The statute of limitations in Illinois is two years from the date of the actual injury. This can be a very complex issue to sort out; many people who were implanted with a Rejuvenate or ABGII may have attributed their adverse health issues to things other than their Stryker hip implant. It is important that you speak to a knowledgeable Illinois Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII hip lawyer as soon as possible. A well qualified Illinois Stryker Hip attorney can help determine when your statute of limitations will run. As a resident of Illinois, particularly in the following locales, you must take care to not lose your right to file a Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII hip lawsuit:
· Chicago, Illinois
· Aurora, Illinois
· Rockford, Illinois
· Joliet, Illinois
· Naperville, Illinois
· Springfield, Illinois
· Peoria, Illinois
· Elgin, Illinois
What Your Illinois Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII Hip Lawsuit May Address
There are a number of allegations and claims being made against Stryker in the currently filed lawsuits, such as:
· Stryker failed to ensure there would be minimal corrosion in the design
· The ABGII and Rejuvenate taper neck junction failed to fit as expected
· Stryker may have made false claims regarding the fact that the device would not undergo corrosion or fretting, yet many patients began experiencing these issues soon after implantation.
· Stryker may have been aware of the possibility for early hip failure, yet failed to act on early reports of these failures
· The design of both the Rejuvenate and ABGII gained FDA approval based on the Wright Profemur, which has its own set of problems.
· Stryker continued to sell the Rejuvenate and ABGII even though they were aware that placing a cobalt and chromium neck with a titanium stem could potentially cause patient harm.
Why You May Need to Speak to an Illinois Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII Hip Lawyer
Only an experienced Illinois Stryker Rejuvenate/ABGII hip lawyer can advise you regarding your potential case against Stryker. All of your circumstances will be taken into account, then your Stryker hip attorney can help you choose the best course of action.