Currently, there are more than 10,000 lawsuits pending nationwide against Johnson & Johnson for its metal-on-metal hip replacements, the DePuy Pinnacle and the DePuy ASR. Plaintiffs allege that the metal-on-metal hip replacement devices have a higher-than-normal failure rate. Additionally, some plaintiffs have complained that the device has caused metal poisoning, called metallosis, due to high levels of chromium and/or cobalt.

Although a recall was issued on the DePuy ASR hip implant in 2010, DePuy Orthopaedics refused to issue a recall on the DePuy Pinnacle when faced with similar allegations as the ASR. Almost three years after the ASR recall, the manufacturer has now announced that it will cease the manufacturing of the Pinnacle metal-on-metal hip replacements and the Pinnacle metal-on-ceramic hip replacements in August 2013. However, DePuy Orthopaedics claims that the decision to stop selling the device is not based on the ongoing litigation, but instead blames declining sales and a desire to streamline its product as the reasons.

If you have had a hip replacement, which used the DePuy ASR or DePuy Pinnacle devices, you can contact Stark & Stark and speak to one of the Mass Tort Attorneys, free of charge, who can help assess any claims that you might have against the DePuy manufactures.