Lawsuits began being filed when DePuy Orthopaedics issued a voluntary recall on two of their hip replacement devices, the ASR XL Acetabular System and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System. There were about 93,000 units of these implants that were sold worldwide and studies revealed that 11,000 recipients are affected causing them to need a risky and expensive hip revision surgery. Some of the symptoms experienced by affected patients are intense pain, swelling in the hip area, limited or loss of mobility and cobalt and chromium poisoning – which could lead to more serious health complications. The DePuy hip replacement recall occurred in August 2010.

Immediately after the recall, DePuy set about to establish in their website a claims process that would allow recipients to get reimbursed for “reasonable and customary costs” of medical evaluation and treatment. However, signing on to this process would also mean that the recipient would hand over important documents (as well as the explanted hip replacement device, if the situation calls for it) to the company. When you give DePuy access to these, the company will look for ways to devalue your claim.

Of the thousands of recipients affected by the implants' defects, hundreds have already filed a hip lawsuit. Contrary to what most people believe, you do not need a lot of money to have a consultation with a legal counsel. If the litigation is successful, your lawyer will take a percentage of your award (usually 33%). If you lose, he or she will get nothing.

There is no doubt that having a hip replacement lawyer to guide you through the process of recovering compensation from DePuy is important. More information is available in the hip replacment recall website.