Metal-on-Metal Hip Replacement Manufacturer Aware of Risks

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We will never know how many warning designers and manufacturers of Metal-on-Metal received from their engineers during the development of their products, but a recent investigation by the London Telegraph makes it clear that at least one engineer at one company was well aware of the risks of these devices.

The newspaper’s investigation is alarming. In 1995, a senior engineer warned the company that the devices might be fundamentally unsafe. He was concerned that the use of metal on metal would lend itself to metal particulates being released into the bloodstream, exactly what happened to many patients when the products were eventually brought to market. The fact an engineer at a major manufacturer was aware of the problem years before the implants were released indicates that the devices were defectively designed. Other manufacturers would have had their own engineers, and it is reasonably likely that those engineers would have come to the same conclusion. Metal on metal implants would be prone to metal poisoning, joint degeneration, and failure due to breakdown caused by the rubbing of metal on metal.

The full investigation contains emails and other memos showing the full scope of knowledge regarding the danger these implants posed. Ultimately, these unsafe devices stayed on the market for a decade, causing pain and damage to thousands of patients. This despite the manufacturer being aware during the development phase that the implants were problematic.

If you received a metal-on-metal implant and suffered side effects, whether those side effects be metal poisoning of the blood (metallosis), hip degeneration, hip fracture, or any other problem, it is important to determine whether or not the manufacturer was aware of these dangers. Please, retain an experienced attorney who can help you get the answers and compensation to which you are entitled to your suffering.

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Finz & Finz, P.C. is a New York and Long Island personal injury law firm based out of Mineola, NY. It was founded in 1984 and is highly rated, with many honors and awards of excellence.