As Virginia (VA) personal injury attorneys we know that if a patient is injured by a defective medical device that a defective or faulty product claim is made and not a medical malpractice claim. Sometimes there is some confusion about this because it is a physician that implants a device in a patient. Lately there has been some discussion as to whether informed consent requires the doctor to tell the patient of any financial relationship the physician or the institution he works for has with the manufacturer or distributor of the product. Meaning that some doctors may use a new medical device that is questionable or not as reliable as a more traditional option because they are compensated by the manufacturer.
One such device is the Zimmerman knee replacement. It turns out that not all of Zimmerman’s products are safe and made with the highest level of care. For example, Zimmerman’s NexGen Complete Knee Solution MIS Tibial Components, NexGen TM Tibial Trays and MIS Modular Tibial Plates and Keels had to be recalled in September 2010. Then the NexGen LPS-Flex Gender Femoral Component was recalled two months later. Finally the FDA issued a Class II Recall in January 2012 and a recall for Zimmerman’s Persona Trabecular Metal Tibial Plate in March, 2015.
Click here to find out what to do if you received a recall letter from Zimmerman.
The faulty design of Zimmerman’s NexGen Flex devices resulted in thousands of people suffering serious, debilitating side effects. Numerous consumers reported that components loosened creating “radiolucent lines” (i.e. gaps) in between the knee replacement device and the bone or between components. These gaps have the potential to become filled with joint fluid, tissue or debris from implant wear. This can result in bone damage, further loosening and knee replacement implant failure.
If you or a loved one had a knee replacement and had MIS tibial components implanted, you may be able to take legal action against Zimmerman if you were forced to undergo a revision surgery. Time is of the essence and you should contact our Virginia personal law firm today to set up a confidential, no-cost consultation. We know how to handle faulty product cases and have experience with dangerous defective products such as the DePuy hip replacement device, the Stryker hip replacement device, fentanyl pain patches, and so forth. We are here to help.
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