J&J Negotiating Possible $2 Billion Settlement over Hip Implants
Bloomberg News is reporting that several sources have told them that medical device giant Johnson & Johnson is negotiating a settlement over its recalled metal-on-metal hip implants — a settlement that could potentially reach over $2 billion.
According to Bloomberg, J&J is facing more than 10,000 lawsuits concerning recalled hip implants and wants to offer $200,000 a case. If most of the plaintiffs take the deal, it would add up to more than $2 billion. One expert interviewed by Bloomberg stated that J&J really can’t afford to defend the lawsuits case-by-case, so it makes sense that they would be trying to negotiate a global settlement. Many lawyers for plaintiffs have decried the deal as too low.
The first trial over defective DePuy hip implants is scheduled to begin this week in a state court in Los Angeles. While reports of a potential settlement are flying throughout the media, attorneys for both the plaintiffs and Johnson & Johnson are remaining noncommittal when asked about settlement negotiations.
J&J recalled 93,000 all-metal hips worldwide in 2010 — 37,000 were in the United States. Patients who have brought lawsuits against J&J are claiming that the recalled implants caused pain, bone fractures, immobilization, and infections. Others contend that metal ions released by the implants have caused tissue death around the joints and have led to dangerously elevated chromium and cobalt levels in the blood.
According to Bloomberg’s sources, settlement talks most likely will not end until after the first cases have gone to trial.
The metal-on-metal recall hip implant injury attorneys of Farah & Farah are ready to answer your questions regarding ongoing hip recall litigation. Are you one of the thousands who have been injured by defective hip replacement devices? Call us at (800) 533-3555 or contact us online to discuss your legal options today.
