Articles Posted in Defective Medical Device

Medical device recalls have increased dramatically in the past 10 years. A detailed report provided by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indicated that there was a 97 percent increase in the number of medical devices recalled annually from fiscal year 2003 to fiscal year 2012.

The FDA attributes the increase in recalls to enhanced awareness by medical device firms, especially those firms that were cited repeatedly for violations of safety rules and standards. Efforts by the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) to improve device safety were also listed as a reason for the higher recall numbers.
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Recent case studies in leading medical journals indicate that patients with metal hip joint replacements could be at a greater risk of cardiac problems and complications. According to a New York Times article, two recent investigations uncovered similar medical mysteries, both involving patients with metal hip replacements and life-threatening heart conditions. The medical research and reports could help future patients with hip replacements and cardiac problems identify the source of their illness or disease. Our Boston hip implant lawyers are dedicated to recent developments involving health and dangerous medical devices.

Case study 1: A man in Germany became ill and sought a diagnosis to treat a worsening condition. His medical problems had begun three years earlier, including low hormone levels, an inflamed esophagus, and high body temperature. He began to lose his vision to the point of being nearly blind. The patient had damaged hearing and became nearly deaf. His illness intensified and he felt his body weaken, evidently because of a heart condition. Eventually, he suffered heart failure, even though he had no coronary artery disease or complications.
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As researchers continue to search for the cure for cancer, it continues to impact families across the nation. Officials believe that it may soon surpass heart disease as the leading cause of death in the U.S. According to The New York Times, one of the most alarming culprits of this disease is our own medical practices.

The truth of the matter is that the use of medical imaging with high amounts of radiation, CT scans in particular, has increased dramatically in the last 20 years. The radiation doses of CT scans (a series of X-ray images from multiple angles) are 100 to 1,000 times higher than conventional X-rays.

Our product liability attorneys in Boston understand that more than 60 million CT scans — also known as “cat” scans — are performed each year in the United States. Compare this to the just 3 million in 1980. A CT scan can deliver doses of ionizing radiation at least 50 to 250 times greater than a traditional X-ray. Doctors have always assumed, however, that the benefits outweigh the risks. Still, researchers at the National Cancer Institute estimate that 29,000 future cancer cases could be attributed to the 72 million CT scans performed in the country in 2007.
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Biomet recently announced its financial results for the second quarter, indicating an increase in consolidated net sales and announcing the commercial launch of the company’s G7™ Acetabular System in 2014.

The financial release indicated that the report contained forward looking statements and that the company’s actual results could be affected by “the results of the ongoing investigation by the United States Department of Justice” and “the impact of product liability litigation losses.”

Product liability litigation is a concern for Biomet as it is expected that bellwether Biomet hip lawsuits will take place in 2015. Our defective hip implant lawyers in Massachusetts know that the judge assigned to the cases pending against Biomet recently established the schedule for moving these bellwether trials forward. Bellwether cases are an integral part of multidistrict litigations and can make it easier for plaintiffs and Biomet to negotiate reasonable settlements.
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Wright Medical is the manufacturer of metal-on-metal hip implant products. Patients have experienced serious complications after having the Wright medical products implanted and a multidistrict litigation (MDL) has been created to expedite the handling of pending cases.

Our Boston defective hip implant lawyers have been admitted to the MDL against Wright Medical in the Northern District of Georgia. This means our attorneys can represent injured patients nationwide experiencing complications due to problems with their Wright Medical hip implant systems.
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Metal-on-metal hip implants have prompted numerous manufacturer recalls in recent years, including a recall of the Stryker Rejuvenate; the Stryker ABG II; the DePuy XL Acetabular; and the DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing system. Before these devices were recalled, the metal-on-metal hip implant systems were implanted in thousands of patients, many of whom were young patients interested in the added flexibility that the products promised to provide. The DePuy products alone were used in more than 93,000 patients worldwide.

With the high failure rate for metal-on-metal hip implant products, many of the patients who had these implants have now filed lawsuits. The lawsuits have been consolidated into multidistrict litigations, and our Boston defective hip implant lawyers have been admitted to MDLs against Wright, Stryker and DePuy.
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Defective drugs and medical devices harm thousands of patients throughout the United States. Each individual plaintiff has a cause of action against the pharmaceutical company or medical device manufacturer when a product defect causes injury or illness. However, many of the cases against the manufacturers have common questions of fact. To expedite claims processing, reduce court costs and time, and aid plaintiffs and defendants in a timely resolution of claims, multidistrict litigation (MDL) is frequently used.

The Boston injury attorneys at Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers have extensive experience representing clients involved in multidistrict litigation. Our firm has been admitted to MDLs throughout the United States that will allow plaintiffs compensation for injuries caused by metal-on-metal hip implants and transvaginal mesh, among other dangerous medical products.

Understanding Multidistrict Litigation

Knee and hip replacement surgeries continue to cause future complications for patients. Many of these complications related to defective medical devices and result in a necessary replacement. Whether you have already had a knee or hip implant or you need a replacement, you want to get the best medical treatment possible. The federal government has published a report calling attention to the best and worst hospitals for knee and hip replacement surgery.

The government has identified 95 hospitals where patients were most likely to suffer setbacks and another 97 hospitals where patients had the most successful recoveries. The analysis is part of the government’s effort to strengthen the quality of care throughout the nation’s hospitals. Our medical malpractice attorneys in Massachusetts are dedicated to helping victims recover compensation for injuries caused by defective medical devices. We are also committed to enhancing medical safety for patients in Massachusetts and nationwide to prevent future injuries.
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A woman whose infant was born with facial deformations has successfully sued the maker of an anti-seizure drug she was prescribed while pregnant.

The case, Gurley v. Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceutical is part of a larger mass tort action in the Philadelphia district courts against the makers of Topamax, a drug used to treat epilepsy and migraines. The master case is In re Topamax Litigation.

The bellwether cases here involved a stay-at-home mother who was prescribed the drug Topamax for treatment of epilepsy. She continued to take the drug through her pregnancy, as she had been told by doctors was safe. However, what she didn’t know was that the manufacturer, Janssen Pharmeceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, had long known that the drug caused serious birth defects. The plaintiffs would later argue that this was information that Janssen intentionally kept from both doctors and patients.
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