With the ongoing lawsuits being filed about the DePuy hip replacement recall, some may have wondered what exactly is the reason behind the litigation. Hundreds have taken legal action in the hopes of gaining compensation for what DePuy has subjected them to.

In the summer of 2010, Johnson & Johnson division, DePuy Orthopaedics, issued a voluntary recall of their hip replacement devices named ASR XL Acetabular System and ASR Hip Resurfacing System. Generally, the average artificial hip should last for 15 to 20 years depending on the recipient. However, the ASR devices were found out to only last for five years. Moreover, 1 in 8 recipients would need to undergo a revision surgery due to complications brought about by the defective implants.

When you have been impanted with one of the flawed ASRs, you would likely experience one or more of the following: pain, inflammation, rashes, difficulty walking, stiffness in the hip area, fracture, nerve palsy and metal poisoningor metallosis.

When you find that you have not felt any of the symptoms, it is still not an indication that you have not been affected. To make sure your hip replacement device is indeed and ASR and to determine whether it is failing or not, you should seek the professional opinion of your orthopedist. DePuy claims it will hand out compensation granted they can decide that your injuries are “reasonable and customary”. They have also given a statement that they think that your own insurer or even Medicare should pay for the medical costs relating to your hip injury.

The best course of action would be to speak with a competent lawyer experienced with product liabilty lawsuits to assist you in your goal to seek compensation from a company that was not careful enough to offer a safe product for their buyers. Should you wish to learn more about the DePuy hip replacement recall, their website is available for you to browse through.