Stryker Corporation Rejuvenate and ABG II Hip Lawsuits Consolidated in N.J.

Stryker’s legal troubles continue to mount following the recall of its Rejuvenate and ABG II modular-neck hip stem implants in July 2012. In January 2013, Judge Brian Martinotti was appointed by the Supreme Court in New Jersey to handle the growing number of lawsuits filed against the joint manufacturer in that state, the New Jersey Law Journal reported. Martinotti signed the multicounty litigation (MCL) consolidation transfer order on Jan. 22 and appointed Ellen Relkin of Weitz & Luxenberg as chair of the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee. Relkin was also appointed Liaison Counsel, and her duties include coordinating with federal and state courts as well as coordinating the defense and plaintiffs’ counsel. Styker’s attorneys did not object to the consolidation. There are about 50 lawsuits currently in the New Jersey MCL, though Relkin told the New Jersey Law Journal that she expects many more to be filed. “Every week, we have another client who is getting a hip revision,” she said. Relkin is also co-lead counsel in federal lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson for the DePuy ASR hip. Stryker Hips Can Fail Early and Cause Tissue Death: One of the biggest problems with Stryker’s Rejuvenate and ABG II is the devices’ tendency to corrode and fret – a process where metal breaks down and releases particles into the nearby tissues and blood. According to lawsuits, the company misrepresented that its patented titanium and cobalt chrome modular necks and stems were resistant to fretting and corrosion.