A federal lawsuit has been filed by a plaintiff who first became aware of his own Zimmer hip problems after watching a TV ad alerting viewers to the metal on metal hip problems caused by a competing company’s device, the DePuy ASR XL hip implant.

Plaintiff Francoie Stephens filed his Zimmer hip problems lawsuit on June 21, 2011 in a New Orleans federal court. After receiving the problematic Zimmer Durom Cup device in 2007, he claims to have developed multiple Zimmer hip problems, including Zimmer Durom Cup metallosis and ultimately revision surgery.

Metal on metal hip problems

As with the DePuy ASR XL device, the Zimmer Durom Cup hip replacement system is a metal on metal implant. More precisely, multiple component metal parts are designed to fit together in a “ball and socket” formation.

Unfortunately for many patients, metal on metal hip problems associated with the Durom Cup have been widely reported. The grinding together of these metal parts can release microscopic metal shavings into the patient’s bloodstream and soft tissue, ultimately resulting in Zimmer Durom Cup metallosis, which in Stephens’ case took the form of cobalt chromium poisoning.

Zimmer Hip problems

Stephens’ Zimmer hip problems lawsuit charges that the artificial hip maker failed to alert him to the implant’s defects and the high likelihood of malfunction and premature failure. The Zimmer Durom Cup is known as a cementless device, which means that it does not utilize a strong adhesive to secure its parts to the patient’s bone, but instead relies on a natural process by which bone and metal naturally fuse. When this natural fusing process fails, however, the entire device can become dislocated, often requiring revision surgery to completely remove and replace it.

As a consequence of his Zimmer hip problems, including Zimmer Durom Cup metallosis, Stephens seeks damages for pain and suffering, physical distress and injury, emotional distress and injury, medical expenses, shame, humiliation, inability to lead a normal life, loss of enjoyment of life, disability, punitive damages, mental anguish, court costs and interest.

Zimmer Hip problems lawsuits

Product liability lawsuits stemming from metal on metal hip problems number in the thousands and are currently pending in courts across the country. All federal lawsuits arising from Zimmer hip problems were consolidated into multidistrict litigation in 2010 for the purpose of expediting pre-trial procedures.