What do I need to know about the DePuy hip replacement recall?

The first thing you should know about the DePuy hip replacement recall is that it applies to two devices: the ASR XL Acetabular System and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System. You may not be sure whether your hip implant is one of these two models. Because DePuy does not keep records of patients who received an ASR, you need to contact your orthopedic surgeon to obtain this information.

If your implant is in fact one of the recalled DePuy devices, you will next need to undergo tests. The purpose of testing is to determine whether your ASR hip implant is functioning properly. About 1 out of 8 ASR recipients will receive the unfortunate news that the hip they received is defective and needs to be replaced though a revision surgery.

You should understand that in response to the hip replacement recall, DePuy has pledged to cover the costs of all testing and treatment related to the recall. The amount of compensation you receive, however, is subject to whatever DePuy deems “reasonable and customary,” a loose definition that depends on DePuy’s sole discretion. Coupled with the fact that the company has yet to announce a policy for compensating patients for pain and suffering, you may have no other recourse but to file a lawsuit against DePuy to obtain the money you deserve. Just give us some basic information, and we’ll take it from here.