Of Counsel attorney David Szerlag is one of our lead attorneys for our cobalt poisoning cases. He and our litigation team have filed lawsuits on behalf of clients who got cobalt poisoning from a DePuy ASR™ XL Acetabular System artificial hip. They are also investigating possible cobalt poisoning from other manufacturers of metal-on-metal artificial hips.
Cobalt poisoning from an artificial hip is possible because the metal-on-metal hip replacements have a cobalt alloy in them. When the metal parts rub together, small particles of cobalt (and chromium) can come off. The build up of cobalt can cause cobalt poisoning, also referred to as cobalt toxicity.
Many DePuy ASR hip patients have had hip revision surgery to replace the DePuy hip with another artificial hip, and many more patients need to have this done. What we are finding is that patients who wait too long to have revision surgery done may be harmed both physically and legally. The physical harm is due to the increased harm to the body as the cobalt levels rise. If patients wait too long, they may have permanent damage, including vision loss, hearing loss and necrosis (death) of the tissue around the implant.
Legally, patients have a limited amount of time to pursue a lawsuit against DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. and others. Since the DePuy ASR hips were recalled in 2010, many lawsuits have been filed.
If you have any of the symptoms below, you need to contact our law firm:
Pain (by the time there is pain, tissue may already be dead)
Visual impairment (in some cases, blindness)
Cardiomyopathy (possible heart failure)
Cognitive impairment (memory loss, slow cognition)
Hearing loss (tinnitus, deafness)
Diminished coordination
Hypothyroidism
Headaches
Irritability
Anxiety
Rashes
Hip creaking
Hand tremor
Lack of energy (listlessness)
