The Portland hip implant attorneys at the Savage Law Firm are skilled at proving that Pinnacle intentionally marketed defective hip implants to consumers.

The Portland hip implant attorneys at the Savage Law Firm are skilled at proving that Pinnacle intentionally marketed defective hip implants to consumers.

DePuy’s Pinnacle hip implant systems are metal-on-metal devices that have been linked to a number of serious problems within recent years. In fact, although the Pinnacle hip implant was widely marketed as being safe and effective at improving patients’ mobility when it was first introduced in 2001, some of the specific complications that have been linked to the use of Pinnacle hip implants include:

  • Metallosis (metal poisoning) – a condition in which patients develop excessive levels of cobalt and chromium metal ions in their bloodstream due to the erosion the metal-on-metal components of these hip implant devices. If left undiagnosed and untreated, metallosis can cause heart complications, as well as cognitive damage.
  • Damage to or death of the tissues and bone surrounding the hip implants
  • Bone fractures at the implant site
  • Severe hip pain
  • Loosening of the device, which increases the risk of painful, debilitating hip dislocations
  • Hip implant failures.

These serious Pinnacle hip implant complications typically require patients to undergo at least one invasive revision surgery to remove defective implants. While these surgeries are expensive, they are also risky and can put patients at risk of other serious health complications.

FDA Reports of Pinnacle Hip Implant Complications

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been receiving reports of Pinnacle hip implant problems for years. Specifically, it received:

  • More than 550 reports of Pinnacle hip implant complications between January and June 2010
  • More than 1,260 reports of these complications in all of 2011.

While this steadily growing number of adverse effects reports is shocking, so too are the facts that:

  • Researchers have found that the Pinnacle systems have a significantly high rate of failure, with between 10 and 14 percent of these devices reportedly failing within the first 3 to 5 years of implantation.
  • DePuy reportedly received FDA approval for the Pinnacle system without having conducted extensive safety testing on these devices (as it used a grandfather clause in the FDA’s approval process to bypass safety testing).

Although reports of these Pinnacle hip implant problems seem to be continuing to pile up, a recall for these devices has never been issued; instead, DePuy choose to discontinue production of the Pinnacle system in 2013.

However, injured hip implant patients are not without recourse, as they can file defective device claims against DePuy to obtain compensation for their medical bills, mental anguish, irreversible injuries and other losses.

Portland Hip Implant Lawyers at the Savage Law Firm

At the Savage Law Firm, our Portland hip implant attorneys are dedicated to standing up for the rights of injured patients and providing them with personal attention, respect and the highest quality legal services.

We realize how devastating the injuries caused by Pinnacle hip implants can be, and we are here to help patients hold DePuy responsible for their failure to:

  • Test the safety of these hip implant systems before bringing them to market
  • Warn patients about the serious risks associated with the use of the Pinnacle hip implants.

To ensure that injured hip implant patients are able to receive both the justice and compensation they deserve, our attorneys are ready to:

  • Build injured hip implant patients the strongest possible cases
  • Stand up to corporate lawyers and insurers both inside and outside of the courtroom
  • Work tirelessly to help our clients achieve the best possible outcomes to their cases.

Contact Us Today

Helping you recover from the financial setbacks caused by defective medical devices is one of our primary goals. Our Portland hip implant attorneys encourage you to learn more about your rights and case by setting up a free initial consult. We represent clients in communities in both Oregon and Washington from our offices in Portland and Seattle.

To learn more about our legal services and what we can do for you, call us at 503-222-0200 (in Portland) or at 206-957-7272 (in Seattle). You can also email us using the form on this page.