Product Liability Lawyer Blog

November 1, 2013

Americans Taking Advantage of Medical Devices, but the Risks Cannot be Understated

A surprising trend in recent years: middle-aged Americans are increasingly taking advantage of medical procedures that were typically reserved for the elderly. According to The Bulletin, “hundreds of thousands of [younger] Americans” are undergoing medical procedures to implant devices that can improve mobility.

Our Boston defective hip implant lawyers know that metal-on-metal hip implant products were largely marketed to younger consumers because they were supposed to provide advantages to the young and mobile. Unfortunately, these new metal hip replacements backfired when they turned out to be unreliable and dangerous. This means that as the medical device market shifts to accommodate increasingly younger patients, it is important that device manufacturers do everything possible to avoid future mistakes that lead to more defective products coming into the market.
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October 28, 2013

Toyota Settles Case After $3 Million Jury Verdict

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

In 2010, Toyota vehicles began accelerating unintentionally, causing the company to stop production and sales of eight vehicle models and to recall 2.3 million vehicles. Toyota’s reputation was damaged and the company has been subject to many lawsuits both from plaintiffs who were injured or who lost family members, and from plaintiffs who experienced a decline in the resale value of the vehicles.

Our Boston defective products lawyers know that Toyota can be held responsible if it is found that their products were dangerous when used as intended and caused harm to plaintiffs. Now, Toyota has suffered the first loss in court in an unintended acceleration case, which prompted Toyota to then settle several claims after the jury awarded $3 million to a plaintiff in an unattended acceleration case.
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October 25, 2013

Stryker Hip Recall Litigation Could Cost More Than $1 Billion

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Stryker Corp. recalled its ABG II and its Rejuvenate hip implants from the market last year because the products were causing serious harm to patients. Our Boston defective hip implant lawyers know that in the United States, as many as 20,000 of these Stryker devices have already been implanted in patients. The recall comes too late to protect these patients from complications. But fortunately these patients will get financial help and future harm will be prevented since these dangerous medical devices have now been taken off of the market.

The recall is also expected to result in a massive cost to Stryker, which may be why the recall took so long for the company to order even once it became apparent that its hip replacement products were not working as promised.
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October 21, 2013

A New Approach to Hip Replacement Surgery

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Defective hip replacements have caused a significant number of problems for patients, requiring follow-up surgeries and medical care. Despite the risk of defective hip-replacements thousands of Americans undergo the surgery every year to improve their quality of life. Patients who have endured the surgery know that it is extremely invasive and can involve months of recovery. Now an alternative approach to hip replacement could reduce recovery time and provide a better treatment solution for patients.

Many patients with arthritis and other hip problems will seek out hip replacement therapy. While some hip implants have changed the lives of patients, others have caused additional complications and injuries. Our Massachusetts defective medical device attorneys are dedicated to helping victim of defective hip implants pursue recovery from negligent manufacturers. We are also aware of the risk of hip replacement surgery and the benefit that it provides to many patients.
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October 18, 2013

Hip Replacement Deaths Decline – Revision Surgeries Soar

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Hip replacement is known to be a risky surgery, which can cause serious complications for patients, including fatality. The hip replacement process is one of the most invasive surgeries and is often performed on the elderly who have weaker structures and immune systems. Despite the high risk of surgery, many patients will continue to pursue the treatment, either to improve their quality of life, or out of necessity. Fortunately, for those pursuing hip replacement, new studies show that the number of deaths has been cut in half due to improvements in surgical procedures.

Despite improvements in the surgical process, many victims will continue to suffer because of defective hip implants. Our Massachusetts defective hip implant attorneys are dedicated to helping victims and their families protect their rights. We aggressively pursue legal action against medical device companies that have been responsible for the injuries caused by defective hip implants. Our legal team is also committed to staying abreast of the mired of issues related to hip replacement surgery.
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October 15, 2013

POP/Incontinence One of Many Post-Partum Health Challenges

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

If you only read women’s health and beauty magazines, you may think that post-partum depression and weight gain are the only negative consequences of pregnancy and delivery. However, as recent research and years of medical evidence have shown, women who deliver a child can suffer a host of physical issues ranging from incontinence to weakened muscles and bones.

A recent

October 10, 2013

Transvaginal Mesh Manufacturers Work Towards Massive Settlement

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Several manufacturers of vaginal-mesh implants are working towards settlement after thousands of women have suffered serious injury and wrongful death. According to reports, there could me more than 50,000 claims filed and joined in this potential products liability settlement. Insiders claim that the liability is strong in these cases so it is likely that there will be a settlement and recovery for victims.

Vaginal-mesh inserts are used to support women’s pelvic muscles and treat incontinence, especially after child birth. For these women, the consequences and injury were severe, and in some cases, deadly. Our Massachusetts vaginal-mesh injury attorneys are dedicated to protecting the rights of victims and their families. We are abreast of the legal developments involving these cases and in continuing to advocate for the rights of medical device injury victims.

In products liability cases, victims must demonstrate that a manufacturer knowingly distributed a dangerous or defective product and did not properly warn consumers. Medical device manufacturers can also be held liable for failing to properly test products for safety. If you are a victim of injury related to vaginal-mesh implants, it is important to consult with an experienced advocate regarding your opportunities for recovery and settlement.
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October 7, 2013

Hip Implants for Younger Generation Means More “Revision” Surgeries

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The demand for hip-replacement surgeries is on the rise–so is the number of product liability claims involving defective implants. According to Consumer Reports, there is an increasing number of hip and knee implant requests coming from younger consumers. As the demand for implants grows, consumers need to be aware of the potential risks of defective medical devices and be able to take action in the event of a medical device injury or wrongful death.

Many consumers do not realize that hip implants do not come with a manufacturer’s warranty. For young consumers, this means that an implant could give out, cause future problems or require replacement. Our Massachusetts defective hip attorneys are dedicated to protecting the rights of consumers and to helping victims of medical device injury pursue just compensation. We are dedicated to raising awareness to improve medical safety and to raise standards for manufacturers of medical devices.
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October 3, 2013

Farmers Charged After Cantaloupe Listeria Outbreak Kills 33

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Food poisoning is not only dangerous–it can be deadly. A food outbreak caused by contaminated meat, produce, or other widely distributed foot source can have a widespread impact, affecting victims nationwide. When bacteria can be traced to one source and linked to mishandling, negligence, or failure to warn and recall, those distributors can be held liable. In addition to civil charges, violators may also be held criminally liable for their actions.

Last week, the owners of a Colorado cantaloupe farm were arrested on charges related to a 2011 listeria outbreak and epidemic that caused the death of 33 victims. The incident is considered one of the nation’s deadliest epidemics related to foodborne illness. Our Massachusetts food poisoning attorneys are experienced in complicated cases involving food-related illnesses and wrongful death. As safety advocates, we are committed to exposing food poisoning cases to protect victims and to prevent future illnesses or wrongful death.
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September 29, 2013

Case Against Johnson & Johnson Could Affect your Right to Compensation if You Have a Defective Hip Implant

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A case brought by a 57-year-old Rochester woman against Johnson & Johnson was supposed to begin on September 9, 2013 but the start of the trial was delayed by two weeks to September 23. The case is being referred to as a “bellwether” case as it is the first federal ASR hip implant claim against Johnson & Johnson’s DePuy Orthopaedics Unit that will be heard by a jury.

Our Boston defective hip implant lawyers know that there are around 3,600 additional lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson arising from the company’s recalled ASR hip implants. The outcome of this case could have a determinative impact on how Johnson & Johnson treats those pending claims.
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