Stryker Hip Lawsuit News: Bernstein Liebhard LLP Notes First Settlements in New Jersey Stryker Hip Recall Litigation

NEW YORK, Dec. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The first of hundreds of Stryker hip lawsuits (http://www.strykerhiprecallclaims.com/ ) filed in the wake of the 2012 recall of Rejuvenate and ABG II Modular-Neck Hip Stems have been settled, Bernstein Liebhard LLP reports. According to a Case Management Order issued on December 17^th, the Stryker hip settlements were reached in four of ten cases chosen for Phase I of early mediation in New Jersey's Bergen County Superior Court, where more than 500 lawsuits have been consolidated for pretrial proceedings. The parties were unable to reach a resolution in two other lawsuits, and the remaining three cases will begin mediation in January. (In Re Stryker Rejuvenate Hip Stem and the ABG II Modular Hip Stem Litigation, No. 296)

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"Our Firm is representing numerous clients in the litigation underway in New Jersey. We are encouraged to see that the early mediation process has yielded some settlements, and look forward to more progress in this litigation in the coming year," says Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationwide law firm representing the victims of defective drugs and medical devices.

Stryker Hip Recall
The Stryker hip recall for Rejuvenate and ABG II hip stems was announced in July 2012, after the metal hip components were found to be subject to a high rate of fretting and corrosion at the modular-neck junction. Patients who experience these problems may be at risk for adverse local tissue reactions, pain, swelling, and other complications that might require surgery to remove and replace the hip. Stryker has advised all affected patients to undergo medical screening, including blood tests for elevated metal ion levels and cross-sectional imaging, even if they are not experiencing any symptoms that might indicate their Stryker hip is not performing as intended.

The Stryker hip recall affected some 20,000 Rejuvenate and ABG II hip stems sold worldwide. In October, Stryker disclosed that the recall could ultimately cost the company as much as $1.13 billion.  The final cost will depend on the number of patients seeking testing and treatment, the number of patients requiring revision surgeries and the amount of third-party insurance recoveries, the company said.

According to court documents, at least 553 Stryker hip lawsuits have been filed in the New Jersey litigation since it was established this past January.  Phase II of early mediation will begin next year. Already, 42 claims have been selected for the final mediation pool, and 10 will ultimately be selected to undergo the second phase of the mediation process.

An additional 462 Stryker hip lawsuits have also been filed in a federal multidistrict litigation underway in U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota. (In re: Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG II Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2441) All of the claims pending in both the state and federal proceedings similarly allege that fretting and corrosion of the Rejuvenate and ABG II hip stems caused plaintiffs to suffer serious complications, including metallosis, adverse local tissue reactions, necrosis, and failure of the hip, often resulting in the need for revision surgery.

Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG II hip recipients who suffered complications related to this recall may be eligible to file a Stryker hip lawsuit to obtain compensation for any injury-related damages they sustained. To learn more about the litigation surrounding the Stryker hip recall, please visit Bernstein Liebhard LLP's website. To arrange for a free case review, please call (888) 340-4807.

About Bernstein Liebhard LLP
Bernstein Liebhard LLP is a New York-based law firm exclusively representing injured persons in complex individual and class action lawsuits nationwide since 1993, including those who have been harmed by dangerous drugs, defective medical devices and consumer products. The firm has been named by The National Law Journal to the "Plaintiffs' Hot List," recognizing the top plaintiffs' firms in the country, for the past 11 consecutive years.

Bernstein Liebhard LLP
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(888) 340-4807

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Contact Information: 
Felecia L. Stern, Esq.
Bernstein Liebhard LLP
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http://www.strykerhiprecallclaims.com/
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SOURCE Bernstein Liebhard LLP