With compensation payments under the Stryker hip replacement settlement agreement almost complete, what’s next for other victims of the ABG ii modular-neck hip stem and rejuvenate modular-neck hip stem devices?

A settlement arrangement for damage caused by these products was reached late last year that covered eligible claimants who underwent revision surgery prior to November 2, 2014. Originally, these patients were only given a few weeks to enroll, though the deadline was extended many times, finally closing on April 16, 2015. Stryker informed the courts on June 12, 2015 that 95% of patients who were eligible to file under the settlement had enrolled in the program. Stryker estimated that payment distributions, which will likely exceed $1.4 billion, would be completed this fall.

By no means has the chapter closed on this issue, however. Patients continue to experience problems, and there are certainly many other potential victims out there that were not eligible for the recently closed settlement program.

Patients continue to experience problems due to Stryker’s hip implant products

The U.S. Judicial Panel established multidistrict litigation in June 2013 for ABG II and Rejuvenate lawsuits in U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. MDL 13-2441 occurs on a federal level. Patients throughout the United States who wish to bring federal claims against Stryker for damages they have suffered due to the company’s hip implants are typically transferred to this centralized multidistrict litigation.

The initial settlement program, that is now closed, paid compensation to about 4,000 claimants. But approximately 20,000 patients received ABG II or Rejuvenate hip implants. In January, more than 2,000 cases were pending as part of MDL 13-2441, and the numbers make it evident that new claimants will continue to file for yet some time. It’s not yet known whether the company will enter into a new settlement agreement to establish a program to address the yet uncompensated victims of their products. But the Stryker 2015 third quarter market report demonstrates that the company appears to be operating strongly with increasing net sales.

At Osborne & Associates, P.A. our team of medical products and device liability attorneys are skilled in handling complex medical device injury claims, such as Stryker hip replacement injuries. We understand these multi-jurisdictional cases and our combined experience spans more than five decades. If you or someone you care about has experienced problems due to a Stryker hip implant device, please call us at (561) 293-2600 or contact us online to discuss your case in-depth.