Attorneys Fred Pritzker and David Szerlag have filed several lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson (J&J) on behalf of patients whose DePuy ASR™ XL Acetabular System implants failed. These devices were manufactured by DePuy Orthopaedics, a unit of J&J. Evidence made public this week reveals that a 2011 J&J internal analysis determined that about 36% of the DePuy ASR hip replacements would likely fail within 5 years.
The high failure rate of the J&J-DePuy ASR hip implants is due to the defective metal-on-metal design, according to Fred, who recently won over $40,000,000.00 for clients injured by another defective medical product. The metal ball and socket rub against each other, releasing chromium and cobalt ions that are toxic to the body and cause the hip replacement to fail.
Fred and David are urging all patients with J&J-DePuy ASR artificial hips to contact them for a free consultation regarding chromium and cobalt poisoning (metalosis), their legal rights and the J&J hip lawsuits pending in state and federal court. They can be reached at 1-888-377-8900 (toll free).
The 2011 J&J internal analysis and other evidence is being made public as a “bellwether” lawsuit in California has gone to trial. This case, Kransky v. DePuy, BC456086, California Superior Court, Los Angeles County (Los Angeles), is just one of thousands that have been consolidated in federal court, In re DePuy Orthopedics Inc., ASR Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation, 10-MD-2197, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio (Toledo). Pritzker, Szerlag and the other lawyers involved in these cases will use the Kransky case to help resolve whether J&J bears blame and how juries will respond to the evidence against J&J.
The evidence made public in the Kransky trial includes internal J&J documents indicating that the company knew its DePuy ASR hip implants caused metalosis in 2008, two years before the device was recalled. One 2008 document included clear clinical data showing extreme levels of metal ions in patients who received the J&J-DePuy hip replacement implant.
We are analyzing the evidence to determine if our clients have punitive damages claims against J&J.
Attorney Fred Pritzker is the founding partner of our law firm, which has offices in Minneapolis, MN. David Szerlag, who is Of Counsel at the firm, has offices in Boston, Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island. Attorneys Fred Pritzker and David Szerlag can be contacted for a free consultation here or by calling 1-888-377-8900 (toll free).
