!STRYKER HIP SETTLEMENT ALERT! Stryker Hip Implant Recipients TAKE NOTE - Stryker Corporation has reached a 1.4 billion dollar settlement in its metal hip implant MDL. Learn all about theStryker Master Settlement Agreement here.

The Sequence of Events Leading up to the Stryker Hip Recall: The Stryker ABGII and Rejuvenate gained FDA approval in 2008 and 2009, however marketing did not begin in earnest until February, 2010. Only a little more than two years later, Stryker was issuing an Urgent Field Safety Notification to hospitals and surgeons, stating a higher-than normal failure rate for both hip devices. A month later, Health Canada announced Stryker would recall the Rejuvenate hip implant being sold in Canada, and on July 6, 2012, the decision was made to recall all Rejuvenate and ABGII devices sold and implanted in the United States due to risks associated with fretting and corrosion at the modular neck junction.

This fretting and corrosion often resulted in adverse local tissue reactions. At the time of the safety notification Stryker claimed the failure rate was about 1%--a number which would turn out to be significantly higher. The Australian Registry placed the failure rate at 8.1% and further studies would place the number even higher—some as high as 60-65%. There are those who speculate that the Stryker hip recall may turn out to be an even bigger disaster than that of the DePuy ASR. In the meantime, the thousands of patients harmed by the Stryker hip recall must determine how to move forward with a future harmed by a device they believed to be safe.

Health Issues Associated With the Stryker Hip Recall

When patients with a metal hip implant engage in activity, the metal components can rub against one another, causing tiny cobalt and chromium ions to shear away from the implant. These metal shards can find their way to the bloodstream of the patient or can lodge into the hip tissues of the patient. The cobalt and chromium ions which are in the hip tissues can result in total hip failure, the necessity of revision surgery, chronic pain, acute inflammation and deterioration or death of bone and tissue. Metal shards in the bloodstream can be responsible for a number of serious health issues, including:

·         Reproductive disorders

·         The development of pseudo-tumors

·         Gastrointestinal disorders

·         Skin rashes

·         Loss of vision and hearing

·         Neurological disorders

·         Vertigo

·         Memory loss

·         Cardiovascular disorders

·         Thyroid and kidney problems

·         Depression, anxiety, irritability

·         Changes in DNA

How the Iowa Stryker Hip Statute of Limitations May Affect You

Whether you have discovered injuries associated with the Stryker hip recall yet or not, it is important that you be aware of the Iowa Stryker hip statute of limitations. While the statutes differ from state to state, most states operate under a two-year statute. Iowa is no exception, with a two-year statute which begins on the day the injury is discovered. Because this date can be somewhat blurry, depending on the interpretation of the statutes, speaking to a knowledgeable Iowa Stryker hip lawyer is essential. The only way to know for certain when your specific statute will run is to speak to an experienced Iowa Stryker hip lawyer. Your lawyer can thoroughly assess your specific circumstances, determining how to proceed with an Iowa Stryker hip lawsuit in order to recoup your losses associated with the Stryker hip recall. Don’t let your window of opportunity pass you by; you deserve compensation for the injury and harm you have suffered as a result of the Stryker hip recall and your Iowa Stryker hip lawyer can help ensure you receive an equitable settlement.