Stryker & ABG II Injury FAQs

Typically, before the patient leaves the hospital, the nurse will discuss safe positioning to ensure that the joint is not injured in the weeks, months, and years after hip replacement revision surgery.

The patient should ensure that their toes always point slightly outward and forward without rotating the leg too far, without stepping back.

• Do not cross the legs
• Do not lean forward when standing up or sitting down
• Do not lift the knee higher than the hip
• Do not cross one leg over the other when sitting or lying down
• Position a pillow between the knees while in bed

When climbing stairs, rise to the next step using the unaffected leg and reverse the procedure when walking down the stairs

Any cold sensation, changes in the skin’s color, or sensation of numbness, weakness, or tingling requires medical attention. Any pain sensation in the back of the knee, calf, groin, or thigh might indicate a blood clot, as could swelling or redness in the groin or leg.

Following the doctor or nurse’s steps after your hip replacement surgery is crucial to prevent a hip replacement injury requiring medical attention or revision. Other preventative measures include:

Cushion your sleep patterns and avoid twisting the hips and joint implant that could damage the ring of cartilage (labrum) around the socket’s edge. Any pain in the hip or the groin, especially when pivoting, could indicate a torn labrum.

Plant your feet on the ground while maintaining optimal posture, and do not cross your legs to prevent placing the hips in an awkward position leading to pain, irritation, tingling, and numbness.

Wear properly fitted supported shoes when running, jogging, walking, and adjusting your running patterns that do not incorporate the traditional heel-toe movement but rather a mid-foot strike.

In 2014, plaintiffs involved in hip replacement injury lawsuits agreed to a negotiated settlement of $1.43 billion paid by the artificial hip manufacturer Stryker Orthopedics.

The number of plaintiffs involved in the settlement rose significantly over the next couple of years, increasing the settlement amount to between $2 billion and $2.2 billion.

Each plaintiff received an average payout of over $600,000. The deadline for the settlement expired in March 2017. However, in recent years, thousands of other filed Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG II modular-neck hip implant lawsuits, involving joint replacement injuries are pending in a Minnesota federal court.

Months earlier, nearly a thousand cases involved in New Jersey multi-county litigation began Stryker ABG II modular-neck hip device bellwether trials to resolve those claims.

Since 2012, Stryker Orthopedics recalled nearly 9000 Stryker AGB II modular-neck implants and 44,000 Stryker Rejuvenate replacement hip systems due to “fretting or corrosion.”

The defect that led to the Stryker hip recall left patients experiencing necrotic tissue pain and metallosis (allergic reaction to metal).

Many patients complain of pain after recently undergoing a hip replacement surgical procedure, even among younger individuals. Common reasons for experiencing hip pain after the surgery includes:

The presence of bursitis and inflammation when lying on the side creates pain and tenderness, requiring a cortisone injection to alleviate the discomfort

Tendinitis around subtle tears in the hip muscles where the inflammation irritates surrounding nerves causing pain radiation into the buttocks, thigh, and groin, necessitating anti-inflammatory medications, cortisone injections, and physical therapy

Lower back pain due to sciatica or arthritis when the pain radiates below the knee

Undergoing imaging tests (MRIs, CT scans, and x-rays) can rule out other severe medical conditions, including labral tears, stress fractures, tendon tears, cartilage tears, or any other condition that changes back nerves.

The doctor will typically perform a physical examination to rule out any detectable arthritis or hip bone abnormality causing the pain.

Many patients must undergo a revision surgical procedure after their hip replacement fails in a few months, years, decade, or longer. The failure might involve different portions of the hip socket (acetabular) or thigh bone (femoral) where the prosthesis loosens, causing intense pain, requiring a surgical correction.

Typical symptoms associated with a failing hip replacement include:

• Artificial joint deterioration or damage
• Hip joint pain
• Hip implant loosening in the bone
• Infection
• Joint instability
• Osteomyelitis (bone loss condition)

Experiencing any symptoms above requires a specialist’s care accurately diagnosing what is causing the failure in an implant medical device that was likely designed to last for two or three decades.

Patients undergoing a hip placement can easily damage the implant by not following the doctor or nurse’s proper procedures when leaving the hospital after the procedure.

While damaging the artificial hip can occur in the first few months of healing, most individuals require revision surgery after experiencing a periprosthetic fracture after years of the replacement functioning as designed.

Typically, the patient experienced a trauma to the hip in an accident or fall that caused the periprosthetic fracture. However, there may be other conditions associated with the fracture that includes:

• Muscle weakness
• Osteoporosis or other bone-weakening condition
• Balance disorder
• Poor vision

The break typically loosens the femoral stem that, over time, can become increasingly more damaged to everyday activities.

On average, most hip replacement patients will be able to control the extent of their pain in as little as 4 to 6 weeks after surgery. However, many individuals experience fatigue after the procedure from the pain, blood loss, anesthesia, and taking prescription pain meds.

Over time, the pain and fatigue will diminish, allowing individuals to resume normal activities within one to two months after their hospital release. By three months, the pain is nearly gone, and individuals can participate in their usual recreational activities, including playing golf, cycling, hiking, and walking.

Participating in physical therapy, though painful, can guarantee a better success rate during the healing process to allow for short-distance walking. Within two weeks, the patient can stop using crutches or walkers and travel longer distances to improve hip and leg strength.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) grants disability benefits to individuals that meet specific criteria after undergoing a hip replacement surgical procedure.

Eligible disability candidates will typically have their disability listed under the SSA’s “Reconstructive Surgery or Surgical Arthrodesis of a Major Weight-Bearing Joint.”

The disability identifies individuals who cannot walk sufficiently to do their job and are expected to experience a disability for at least a year. Benefits might also be available if bone death (avascular necrosis) led to the need for hip replacement.

The surgical procedure must have left the individual with the inability to walk without using two crutches, walkers, or two canes,

The hip replacement restricts the individual from walking a block a crossed rough or uneven surfaces at a reasonable pace,

The disability left the person unable to climb a few stairs using a handrail while climbing at a reasonable speed

The individual can no longer travel to school or work without assistance

SSA will review the patient’s RFC (residual functional capacity) to determine what they can do despite their impairment.

Every surgical procedure has risks, where the patient could suffer severe complications, including those who underwent a hip replacement surgical procedure. Many artificial hip devices are involved in a lawsuit or mandatory and voluntary recalls due to design and manufacturing problems.

Hiring a defective medical product attorney specializing in hip replacement injury lawsuits can ensure you receive the financial compensation you deserve. The right law firm, working on your behalf, can ensure you receive legal representation from a defective hip specialist, including:

Medical malpractice attorney – Your Stryker hip injuries might result from the surgeon or medical caregiver’s negligence that led to your hip replacement injury. Your injury might be the failure of a surgical mistake, ineffective physical therapy, or a preventable infection caused by nursing negligence.

Defective product attorney – The FDA approves Stryker hip replacement devices based on limited studies and safety trials. However, if the artificial hip does not perform as intended due to a design defect or manufacturing mistake, the manufacturer could be held legally liable for your damages.

Some defective Stryker hip implant cases involving severe injuries are caused by medical malpractice and defective artificial hips (product liability). A defective product that has a reasonable probability of causing severe adverse health consequences or death.

All information you share with attorneys remains confidential through an attorney-client relationship. Your defective Stryker hip device lawyers can review your medical records, discuss your legal options and answer all frequently asked questions during a free consultation.

Data shows that nearly every patient receiving a Stryker modular hip system or AGB II modular hip stem replacement device could develop severe health problems over time. Waiting to take action and undergoing an immediate hip replacement or revision could cause intense, unbearable pain.

In the years ahead, you may not be eligible to receive financial compensation from the Stryker Corporation for any problems with their artificial hip systems.

Additionally, the Illinois statute of limitations restricts the length of time you can file a lawsuit to two years from the time of your artificial hip-related pain or the need for revision surgery.

A doctor can diagnose your condition, confirm the make and model of your artificial hip, and provide healthier options on how to care for your failing artificial hip now.

In 2013, the federal court system consolidated hundreds of cases in multidistrict litigation (MDL) court to begin the process of holding the artificial hip device manufacturer financially accountable for selling and distributing hundreds or thousands of faulty artificial hip devices.

Many of these cases involve Stryker Rejuvenate or AGB II hip implants. The presiding judge started hearing bellwether cases that will be used to determine how much compensation patients injured by defective artificial hip can receive to recover their damages.

Many plaintiffs have already settled their Stryker and AGB II hip replacement lawsuits in the month after the bellwether cases began. The manufacturer is estimated to pay over $1.4 billion to individuals in settlement awards.

This payment will recover their damages, including hospitalization expenses, lost wages, loss of future earning capacity, pain and suffering, mental anguish, and emotional distress.

The extent of your injuries and the unique circumstances of your case will determine the value of your Stryker AGB II modular lawsuit.

Defective product attorneys use proven formulas to identify the extent of damages based on previously negotiated settlement and court cases to determine a potential claim’s worth.

Many defective hip joint device lawsuits involving patients who received recalled Stryker and ABG II hip implants have been successfully resolved for approximately $600,000 on average.

In the last few years, the Stryker Corporation recalled its Rejuvenate medical device due to metallosis and other severe complications that injured patients who received defective or corrosive devices.

If you file a lawsuit for financial compensation you will likely receive funding to pay for your hospitalization costs, medical expenses, lost wages, future lost earnings, suffering, and mental anguish.

Did your doctor review your medical records and recommend that you undergo revision surgery due to a defective hip device or an allergic reaction to the device’s materials? You are likely entitled to receive adequate financial compensation for recovering your damages.

A personal injury attorney from your law firm can provide you an initial free consultation to discuss your case and legal options. Most of these Stryker Rejuvenate or ABG II cases are handled through contingency fee agreements, meaning that your payments for legal services are postponed until your case is resolved through a negotiated settlement or jury trial verdict.

If your Stryker hip injury attorney is unable to win your case, there is no charge to you. Additionally, your lawyer will typically pay all upfront costs, including filing fees, court costs, and the expense of hiring medical experts to provide testimony of the extent of your injuries and the need for financial compensation.