Knee and hip replacement surgeries are commonplace surgeries in an aging and more arthritic population and among those whose joints were injured in accidents. At various times, I've tried to keep everyone informed about problems with hip and knee implant systems and product liability claims involving them.
Typically, the recipients of the problematic implants develop tissue inflammation and pain around the implants caused by corrosion and microscopic fragmentation of the metal parts. A major development has just occurred. My clients and others who have made claims against Stryker Corporation for failed hip implants have reached an agreement to settle their claims for an amount that may reach somewhere around $1.4 billion. Two issues are very important if you have a Stryker implant.
First, some twenty thousand people have gotten these implants, and the base awards will be $300,000 per failed models called the Rejuvenate or the ABGII. To qualify for this settlement, the implants had to be replaced before November 3, 2014, or you had to have been too ill to have replacement surgery. Larger amounts, called enhanced awards, will be made if there were significant complications from the implants.
The second important factor is this. If you haven't made a claim yet, start one today. Claim registration against this settlement fund will open up in December, and the registration period is limited in time. How can you qualify? Reiterating what I said a minute ago, your Stryker hip implant had to cause problems with tissues surrounding the implant that required you to have the Rejuvenate or ABGII models surgically removed and replaced before November 3. And other matters of proof like medical records will have to be submitted to the settlement administrator. The base awards of $300,000 per implant should be paid to implant recipients starting in June or July of 2015.