Failed hip replacement compensation claims (DePuy ASR/Pinnacle)

Leigh Day & Co is currently instructed by over 300 patients who have experienced significant difficulties with their DePuy ASR hip implant. We are the lead firm of solicitors in this action and on 1 November 2010 we issued legal proceedings against DePuy to obtain compensation on behalf of our clients for pain, suffering, loss of amenity and financial loss.

DePuy ASR background

In August 2010, DePuy Orthopaedics (a division of Johnson & Johnson) recalled the ASR XL Acetabular System and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System. The ASR components have been associated with pseudo-tumours and metal ion release (cobalt/chrome) leading to patients suffering extensive tissue damage around the hip. Symptoms include:

• Groin pain
• Difficulty walking
• Swelling
• Clunking or grinding
• Numbness or loss of sensation in leg

There is also a fear that the release of the metal ions into the blood could be causing patients to suffer potentially serious medical complications that may seem completely unrelated to the hip component.

The National Joint Registry of England and Wales reported in 2010 that the overall revision rate for primary hip replacements is 2.1% at 3 years and 2.9% at 5 years. The British Orthopaedic Association has identified; however, that failure rates for the DePuy ASR range from 21% at 4 years to 49% at 6 years.

What should I do next? What happens next?

Please read our Frequently Asked Questions section which we hope will answer most of the queries that you may have.

There are strict legal time limits within which you must bring your claim and we therefore advise that you contact us as soon as possible.

You will be put through to a member of our specialist Product Liability Team who will investigate your enquiry and discuss your next steps. We do ask that you try to obtain confirmation of the identity of your hip component as soon as possible.

I’m not sure whether I have an ASR hip, what should I do?

Please do not hesitate to contact us. We are currently investigating failure rates associated with other types of metal-on-metal hip prophesises including the DePuy Pinnacle and Corin Cormet.

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