As the consolidated multi-district litigation for the recalled Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG II modular hip implants moves ahead in federal court in Minnesota, Judge Donavan W Frank will oversee the discovery process.
The newly formed MDL was established in June 2013, when a group of federal Stryker Rejuvenate, and ABG II lawsuits were transferred from federal courts all over the US, to Judge Frank’s court in Minnesota. The MDL is No. 2441.
The Stryker MDL consisted of about 40 cases when it was established. Now, the number has grown to hundreds. Plaintiffs are alleging that they have suffered injuries caused by the manufacturer’s recalled Rejuvenate and ABG II hip replacement implants. As of late September, 2013, recipients of defective implants have filed more than 600 cases in state courts and federal courts. The total number of cases is expected to climb even higher as more than 20,000 of these devices were sold in the U.S. before the recall was issued. In addition to the Minnesota MDL, a coordinated multi-county proceeding involving the Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG II products is also pending in Bergen County, New Jersey. There were 382 cases pending in the New Jersey Action as of late September, 2013.
Patients who have he Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG II hip implants should be on alert for symptoms of failure that require the devices to be surgically removed. Symptoms of failure might include pain, swelling, decreased mobility, and elevated levels of metals in the bloodstream.