Settlements are being made to Zimmer Durom Cup Patients
Many patients who had Zimmer Durom Cup implants used in their hip replacement surgeries are finding that there are complications that far exceed the normal expectations for recovery. These patients are experiencing a lot of extra pain for longer periods of time, facing revision surgeries and increased medical expenses, and losing revenue by being unable to work at their regular jobs. Although Zimmer Holdings, Inc. is claiming that that their implant is in no way defective and not to blame for the surgical failures, some patients are filing lawsuits against them and receiving settlements.
Although Zimmer has been accused of reacting to the problems too slowly and not accepting the liability for the failed implants as they should, in October, 2008 they did announce that they had set aside a fund of $47.5 million to pay lawsuit claims. They are still adamant that their research showed no defects in the product. Many physicians still aren’t convinced. Zimmer took the Durom Cup off of the American market in July, 2008 and then reinstated it the next month along with an online training program which doctors must complete prior to being able to do hip replacements surgeries using the cup again. Half of all the doctors involved declined the offer saying that taking the training would be a waste of their time. Through all of this, everyone has had a lot of stress to deal with, especially the hundreds of patients with defective Durom Cups who are awaiting further surgery.
These suffering patients definitely deserve some help and restitution which is why product liability lawyers are encouraging them to file lawsuits. Zimmer has been paying some of these claims, too. However, even if the money they are being offered seems like a lot to them, in many cases patients are settling too quickly and without provision being made for ongoing problems in the future. Without waiting to find out what an actual case is worth, people may find themselves paying thousands of dollars out of pocket when further complications arise.
If you think you might have a claim against Zimmer, it won’t hurt to find out for sure. Contact your doctor to find out what brand of implant was used in your surgery. If you find out that it was a Durom Cup and you’ve been having problems, you can then call your personal attorney to find out if you qualify to file a lawsuit against the manufacturer. I would in turn look for a national law firm that specializes in litigation against medical product defects. Find a firm has set up a special division just to handle the many Zimmer lawsuits that are being filed and will be happy to help you. Of course, you can choose to hire a local law firm that handles product liability cases, too.
If you’ve been having pain and trouble getting around due to your hip replacement, talk to your doctor about it. He may tell you that you’ll need revision surgery to correct a problem with the implant. If this happens, contact a medical product liability lawyer immediately. This attorney will then make sure that everything is fully documented about your case and your revision so that you can be sure to get the settlement you deserve. If you don’t involve an experienced attorney, you stand to lose thousands of dollars that you are entitled to, so don’t take that chance.
When you know for sure that you have a valid case, don’t expect anything to happen too quickly. Your lawyer will want to take the time to ensure that you get everything you have coming to you. Listen to his advice, and never accept a speedy settlement directly from Zimmer. Wait until everything is resolved so that you can get all the compensation that you deserve.
