Harmed by a defective product? Take legal action
There are a lot of dangerous drugs and defective products that can cause serious harm or injury, and the Chicago personal injury lawyers from Coplan & Crane are ready to help victims hold negligent corporations accountable and demand justice in the form of financial compensation.
Illinois and the federal government have laws designed to protect consumers from dangerous drugs and defective products. But taking on the large, multinational companies that make a lot of these products can be a daunting task if you try to do it on your own. These companies often have entire teams of lawyers working for them with one goal in mind: to keep compensation from personal injury claims to a minimum.
If you’ve been injured or a loved one was killed by a dangerous drug or defective product, level the playing field with a Chicago personal injury attorney from Coplan & Crane. Our legal team has experience handling dangerous drug/defective product claims and other personal injury cases. Our law firm will fight to protect your rights and get you the compensation you’re entitled to. Contact us today for a FREE consultation.
Some of the cases our law firm handles include:
- Dangerous Drugs
- Dangerous Medical Devices
- DePuy Hip Implants
- Zimmer Biomet Hip Implants
- Stryker Hip Implants
- Uloric Injury Lawsuit
The physical and financial impact of a dangerous product can be substantial. If you receive a defective hip implant, you could suddenly be faced with large medical bills from additional medical procedures aimed at fixing the mistake. The loss of a loved one from a dangerous drug or defective product can also be emotionally devastating and lead to financial ruin.
Many people fail to consider the true cost of an injury from a dangerous drug or defective product. Along with additional operations, you might need extensive physical therapy. You might be unable to work for weeks or months at a time. Whatever the circumstances, our Chicago personal injury attorneys want to hear from you. Our legal team can answer your questions, explain your options, and help you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a FREE consultation.
Dangerous Drugs
The list of dangerous drugs changes constantly. That’s why it’s vital you have an informed Chicago personal injury lawyer on your side if you believe you are a victim of one of these dangerous pharmaceutical products or a loved one has experienced dangerous drug side effects.
Dangerous drug cases can be extremely complicated. And because you’re often dealing with large, multi-national corporations and their lawyers, simply knowing who to speak with can be a daunting task. You should also be aware that drug companies and their lawyers often have one goal in mind: to keep compensation to dangerous drug victims to a minimum. The same goes for cases involving defective hip implants.
Dangerous Medical Devices
When medical devices are improperly installed or are not designed correctly, patients often have to undergo additional surgeries to correct the problem. Victims can suffer from infections and lose their physical mobility for weeks or months. That’s one of the reasons for the DePuy Hip recall, issued in 2010. It’s also why many medical devices, including metal-on-metal (“MoM”) hip implants, have been subject to recalls or warnings issued by the Food and Drug Administration.
An FDA recall is a serious matter. These are issued by the government when they believe dangerous products pose a serious threat to the public. When such recalls are issued, patients using these medical devices should immediately consult their doctor. In certain extreme cases, the side effects can result in death. If you believe a loved one has died due to a dangerous medical device, you may have grounds for a wrongful death case, and our law firm can help you take action.
DePuy Hip Implants
Hip implant recipients face very serious health risks. Specifically, people who received the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular hip replacement system manufactured by the DePuy Orthopedics unit of Johnson & Johnson face serious health risks. That’s why the product was recalled voluntarily by the company in 2010.
Reportedly, the DePuy hip replacement system did not go through a rigorous pre-market approval process with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As a result, at least 1 in 8 patients (13 percent) reported a failure of their DePuy hip replacement. Common symptoms of a DePuy ASR device not functioning properly include hip pain, difficulty walking, and swelling in the hip.
Our Chicago personal injury attorneys work tirelessly for people dealing with the adverse health effects of defective hip implants and other dangerous products. Our legal team will thoroughly investigate every hip replacement complaint. That means reviewing medical records, consulting with independent doctors – anything to help your case. We will leave no stone unturned.
Zimmer Biomet Hip Implants
The M2a Magnum hip implant, which was manufactured by Biomet Orthopedics before it was acquired by Zimmer to become Zimmer Biomet, was a leading hip replacement product for several years. Unfortunately, thousands of patients who used the M2a line of products reported significant complications, leading to lawsuits against the manufacturer.
Between 1999 and 2009, more than 110,000 of Biomet’s M2a metal-on-metal implant products were implanted in patients throughout the United States. Biomet claimed that the product allowed for a wider range of motion and lower dislocation rates. However, the metal-on-metal design caused metal shavings to be released into the blood and surrounding tissue, leading to a serious medical condition called metallosis. In time, the hip implant could cause tissues to become necrotic (dead), leading to severe pain, swelling and loss of function as well as device failure and potential revision surgery.
Coplan & Crane is currently reviewing cases involving Biomet hip implants. While the company agreed to settle many lawsuits in 2014, litigation is ongoing with hundreds of lawsuits still pending. If you or a loved one experienced side effects or device failure as the result of a Biomet metal-on-metal hip implant, contact us right away.
Stryker Hip Implants
Problems have been found with hip implant systems manufactured by the Stryker Corporation. Metal-on-metal hip implant systems consist of several parts. A metal femoral stem is attached to the femur (thigh bone). The other end of the stem attaches to another metal part called a femoral head, which is shaped like a ball. The femoral head fits into a cup structure that is anchored to the pelvis.
In August 2016, the Stryker Corporation sent a letter to orthopedic surgeons advising them not to use any LFit V40 femoral heads manufactured before 2011. This part is used in several of its hip implant systems, including Accolade TMZF, Hfx, Citation, LASST, Accolade II, Anato, Secur-Fit Advanced and LSP76. The letter noted the complaints they received about taper lock failure with these femoral heads were “higher than expected.” Taper locks connect the femoral head to the neck portion of the femoral stem.
When the taper lock fails, it can cause several problems. For example:
- The femoral head can loosen or fracture
- Metallic debris can be created that damages surrounding tissue
- The range of movement for the hip implant may become limited
- The person with the hip plant can experience pain, inflammation and loss of mobility.
The only way to fix the problem is revision surgery to remove and replace the defective parts. This causes more pain, suffering, and hardship-and medical expenses-for the person with the implant. And some could be left with permanent damage to soft tissue, muscles and bone.
In September, the Australian government issued a hazard alert advising consumers and health professionals about the risk of taper lock failure in these products. And in October, the Canadian government issued a recall of the LFit V40 femoral head. A similar recall is expected in the United States. But if you have a Stryker hip implant and are experiencing problems, you can take steps now to protect your rights.
This is not the first time Stryker has faced legal action regarding hip implant products. Stryker is a multibillion-dollar corporation with teams of lawyers at its disposal. If you’ve been injured by a defective part in a hip implant, you need an attorney who has the experience and resources needed to get you the compensation you deserve. Call us at 800-394-6002.
Uloric Injury Lawsuit
Severe injuries and an increased risk of death in certain people recently prompted the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to issue a “Black Box Warning,” the highest warning possible, for usage of the prescription drug Uloric.
Manufactured by Takeda Pharmaceuticals America, Inc., Uloric was approved for use in 2009 to treat a painful form of arthritis often associated with gout. People with gout have higher-than-normal levels of uric acid, which forms needle-like crystals in a person’s joints, often causing severe pain and inflammation.
Uloric was designed to reduce uric acid levels in patients but Uloric has been found to produce many dangerous side effects, including an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and blood clots. In certain severe circumstances, people taking Uloric have died as a result of complications with the drug, according to recent studies.
Contact a Defective Product Lawyer Today at Coplan & Crane
Our experienced dangerous drug attorneys at Coplan & Crane are currently reviewing potential legal cases involving injuries or wrongful death claims against Takeda Pharmaceuticals America, Inc. Such cases can be extremely complicated and challenging since pharmaceutical companies notoriously hire entire teams of attorneys to defend their actions and dismiss legitimate claims. They don’t intimidate us. We know how to investigate injuries caused by Uloric and can build a strong legal case on your behalf. Find out what we can do for you. Schedule your FREE case evaluation today.
