January 4, 2013 – According to various sources, the first state trial in the United States involving the much maligned DePuy ASR artificial hip is scheduled to go out on Monday, January 7, 2013 in Prince George County, Maryland.

While industry insiders will be watching this state trial with great interest, more interest will likely be paid to the first federal trials stemming from the lawsuits consolidated in the Ohio multidistrict litigation against DePuy directly.

Two trials are tentatively scheduled for May 6, 2013 and July 8, 2013.

Those involved in any litigation stemming from the DePuy ASR litigation are invited to visit our firm’s companion site, ASRHipSettlement.com, to learn more about how they may benefit from choosing a structured settlement for all or part of any post-settlement proceeds they may be awarded.

July 2, 2011 – While the legal system in the United States and many other countries permit patients to sue for damages caused by alleged defective medical devices, those in New Zealand are limited due to that country’s “no fault” system.

Today’s New Zealand Herald carries a story about the dilemma this presents for patients who received the recently recalled DePuy ASR artificial hip. 

Ten years ago, New Zealand established the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), a “no fault” system of insurance coverage funded by a combination of payroll and employee levies, gas and vehicle licensing fees and government assistance. 

Patients experiencing problems with their DePuy ASR surgeries are being told they cannot clear the ACC threshold sufficient to receive compensation for general damages, commonly called “pain and suffering.”

The outcome of this worldwide recall, and its impact on patients globally, is being watched by our firm very closely.