September 4th, 2010
One of Johnson & Johnson’s subsidiaries, DePuy Orthopedics, Inc, announced a recall of two kinds of hip implants this past Thursday. This comes after more than two years when the Food and Drug Administration began receiving complaints about the hip replacement implants made by DePuy Orthopaedics.
The company actually received a warning letter from FDA on August 19, 2010. FDA told DePuy Orthopaedics that they were marketing products without the required marketing clearance or approval, in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Additionally, FDA said, “a review of our records reveals that you have not obtained marketing approval or clearance before you began offering the TruMatch Personalized Solutions System for sale, which is a violation of the law.”
The two products subject to the hip implant recall are the ASR XL Acetabular System, a hip socket used in traditional hip replacement, and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System, a partial hip replacement that involves placing a metal cap on the ball of the femur. A DePuy spokeswomane, Lorie Gawreluk said that about 93,000 of these devices have been implanted worldwide.
According to a recent NY Times article written by Natasha Singer, DePuy had sales of about $5.4 billion. Beginning in 2008, FDA received about 400 complaints from patients in the United States who received the devices. The devices first came under scrutiny over the last few years because the devices were part of a category of implants called metal-on-metal bearings. These bearings can generate debris from wear, causing inflammation and damage for certain patients.
On DePuy’s website, the company recommends what you should do if you have received the ASR XL Acetabular System or DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System:
• Schedule an appointment with your surgeon. Your surgeon will be able to evaluate how your ASR Hip System is functioning.
• If you are experiencing pain, difficulty walking, or other symptoms, your surgeon may want to take x-rays of your hip. X-rays will allow your surgeon to evaluate how the ASR Hip System is positioned, if there is any damage to the bone and if the ASR Hip System has remained attached to the bone. If the x-rays show problems with your ASR Hip System, your surgeon may recommend surgery to replace it.
• In some cases, your surgeon may order additional blood testing or imaging to ensure your ASR Hip System is functioning well.
• The evaluation may include a blood test that indicates the level of microscopic metal particles around your hip. If the blood test indicates a high level of these particles, your surgeon may want to do a second blood test three months later. These levels may be high even if you are not experiencing any symptoms, so this blood testing is very important.
• If the second blood test still indicates a high level of these particles, your surgeon may want to do an MRI or ultrasound test of your ASR Hip System. If such tests show a reaction to the particles, your surgeon may recommend surgery to replace your implant. This is a decision that you and your surgeon need to discuss based on your own personal health needs.
• If you do not have any symptoms or test results that suggest you may need to have your implant replaced, then you should follow your surgeon’s recommendations for continued follow-up.
• If you do need to have an additional surgery, several options are available and your surgeon will select the appropriate implant system for you.
If you or a loved one has received the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System or DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System and have experienced some type of hip pain, additional hip surgery, or some type of failure with your hip replacement, you may want to contact CSS Firm for a free case evaluation and consultation. Our experienced team of defective hip implant lawyers will work closely with you and see to it that you are compensated for your injuries.
Tags: Depuy, DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System, Hip Implant Lawyer, Hip Implant Recall
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September 3rd, 2010
DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc recently announced a recall of two DePuy ASR hip implants. This comes after a large amount of hip failures and revision surgeries were reported.
DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. is a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. Included in this recall are about 93,000 DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System Implants and DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System Implants.
Recent studies and data indicate that those who receive the ASR Hip System experience pain and other symptoms that lead to a second hip replacement surgery called a revision surgery. Approximately 12 % of patients (1 in eight) who have received the ASR resurfacing device and 13% of patients (1 in eight) who had received the ASR total hip replacement needed to have a second surgery, a revision surgery. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Depuy, DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System, DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System, Hip Implant Lawyer, Hip Implant Recall
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September 1st, 2010
Yaz is a combination oral contraceptive prescription medication that prevents ovulation and creates changes in the cervical and uterine lining that make it difficult for a woman to become pregnant. Also used to treat moderate acne, the medication is appropriate for women at least 14 years old who have already begun having menstrual periods.
Yaz may also be used to treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a condition in which the symptoms women experience before their periods are more intense, causing disruptive emotional, physical and neurological symptoms. These symptoms must be severe enough to interfere with daily functioning to be called PMDD or warrant a prescription. Read the rest of this entry »
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August 31st, 2010
Recently around 6:30 am on a Monday, a mother and son were stopped at a light on Jonesboro Road at Southlake Plaza Drive, near I-75 when an SUV hit their Mercury Sable from behind. The driver of the SUV didn’t stop and continued driving southbound, according to Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
As a result of this car collision, the young boy in the backseat of the Mercury was rendered unconscious. When paramedics arrived, he was taken to Southern Regional Medical Center. He was then airlifted to Children’s at Egleston due to his critical condition.
The driver of the SUV was driving a dark-colored 1997 Lexus LX 450 that had “extreme front-end damage.” Police spent most of the day Sunday looking at tow yards, body shops and wrecker companies searching for this type of car and the tag number that was reported. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Alvelaro Franquez, Car Accident, Children’s at Egleston, Cobb County Collision, F & F Roofing, Hit and Run Accident, Jonesboro Road, Southern Regional Medical Center
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August 31st, 2010
Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported this past Wednesday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration are currently investigating the recent illnesses associated with an egg recall. Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa recently recalled around 228 million eggs. This is equal to 19 million dozen-egg cartons. Within the past couple of days, the company expanded the recall to include 380 million eggs.
Wright County Egg distribute eggs around the country. They package their eggs under the names of Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralphs, Sunshine, Hillandale, Broomsma’s, Farm Fresh, Trafficanda, Land, Dutch Farms, Kemp, and Shoreland. In the expanded recall, the eggs affected were those distributed to wholesalers, food service companies and distribution centers in Wisconsin, Washington, Utah, Texas, Nevada, Nebraska, Missouri, Oregon, Oklahoma, Iowa, Illinois, Georgia, Arizona, California, Colorado, Minnesota, and Arkansas. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Egg Recall, Georgia, Salmonella
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August 26th, 2010
Car accidents are a far too common source of injury and property damage in the United States, with potential costs rising into the hundreds of thousands of dollars in cases where negligence results in serious injury. Those who are victims of a negligent driver should seriously consider retaining an experienced personal injury attorney, especially in cases involving injuries, lost wages, disability or work-related injury.
Serious Injuries Require Expert Advice
Accidents can cause serious injuries creating mounting medical expenses, lost wages and other costs. If you become disabled and cannot work, you must worry about the possibility of a permanent disability. What would you do if you did not heal completely and were unable to return to work? How would your bills be paid? Can you trust your Workers Compensation carrier to offer you a fair settlement? It’s better to have an experienced attorney on your side to make sure your concerns are addressed and all costs covered. Read the rest of this entry »
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August 26th, 2010
Recently, AstraZeneca PLC has agreed to settle with nearly 4,000 Seroquel product liability lawsuits, according to LexisNexis. The terms of these settlements are confidential at this time.
Seroquel is a type of medication used to treat schizophrenia, manic, and depressive episodes associated with bipolar disorder. It is a new class of antipsychotic medication and works by changing actions of chemicals in the brain.
AstraZeneca PLC is one of the U.K’s biggest drugmaker companies and manufactures Seroquel. It is alleged that Seroquel causes diabetes and because of this the company has been facing a large numbers of lawsuits. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: AstraZeneca, Drug Lawsuit, Product Liability Lawsuits, Seroquel, Settlement
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August 24th, 2010
CSS Firm will represent Susan Swicegood in a jury trial involving the drug Reglan/metoclopramide that will be held during the week of July 26, 2010. The case is Susan Swicegood v. Pliva et. al. in the United States District Court, Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division.
The lawsuit alleges that the drug makers and marketers of Reglan/metoclopramide failed to adequately warn physicians of the long-term dangers associated with taking the drug, specifically, the neurological disorder tardive dyskinesia.
Reglan and its generic equivalent, metoclopromide, are used to treat nausea and acid reflux among other stomach disorders. The complaint alleges that Ms. Swicegood’s doctor prescribed 10mg Reglan to be taken 4 times daily. Ms Swicegood took metoclopromide and developed, tardive dyskinesia, a permanent movement disorder as a result. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: featured
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August 24th, 2010
Automobile accidents are one of the leading causes of serious injury in the United States. Although every state has traffic laws, not everyone follows them. Reckless, intoxicated, or inattentive commonly cause serious accidents, but to prove they are to blame requires proving negligence.
Understanding Negligence
Simply put, negligence means “wrongdoing.” It is present when someone has violated driving safety laws and causes harm to someone else because of it. For example, every state has restrictions on acceptable driving speed in school zones during hours when school is in session.
Unfortunately, speed restrictions around schools are some of the most commonly violated traffic laws. But drivers who fail to heed posted speed restrictions in school zones will almost certainly be found guilty of negligence, and therefore largely at fault in the eyes of law enforcement, the courts, and insurance companies. Read the rest of this entry »
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August 23rd, 2010
After more than seven years, Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) made a settlement with the family of Patricia Heller according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 51 year old Patricia Heller tragically died in a taxi accident on January 29, 2003. After flying into Atlanta that day, Patricia Heller caught a taxi to her new employer in order to discuss the opening of an office in Boston. However, Heller never made it.
During the taxi ride, the taxi “spun out on the rain-slick roadway and slammed into a tree,” where Heller died instantly. Heller’s husband filed a lawsuit against the Georgia DOT, the taxi driver, the city of Atlanta, and city inspector, Greg Shepard for wrongful death.
The accident occurred on I-85. Georgia DOT agreed to pay $600,000 to Heller’s family and “wishes to express its sincerest apology to her husband, Dr. Ed. Heller, and their children, Kimberly and Ryan, for their still painful loss of their wife and mother.” Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: DOT Lawsuit, Georgia Department Of Transportation, Taxi Accident, Wrongful Death
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