$11M Awarded in Bellwether Wright Conserve Hip Implant MDL

Santa Clara, CAA jury has awarded an $11 million verdict against Wright Medical Technology Inc, the makers of allegedly defective Wright Conserve Hip Implants. Considered a bellwether trial in multidistrict litigation (MDL), the Atlanta jury found the plaintiff did have a defective hip implant, and that Wright had misrepresented the safety of the device.

According to court documents, the verdict includes $1 million in compensatory damages and $10 million in punitive damages. Some 2,000 people have filed a complaint or entered a tolling agreement after receiving allegedly defective Wright Conserve Hip Implant Systems.

According to Christiansen’s complaint, she underwent surgery to receive the implant in April 2006, following the advice from her physician and based on information provided by Wright, that the metal-on-metal design was better compared with those made a polyethylene lining.

In 2012, Christiansen began experiencing severe pain in her right hip during exercise. She underwent surgery to correct what her doctor thought to be a loose component. However, during the surgery her doctor discovered the surrounding soft tissue had been damaged by metal debris that was causing the hip to fail, according to the complaint.

"A former ski instructor for over 47 years, Ms. Christiansen is now limited in her ability to enjoy the things she has always loved to do, such as water-skiing and hiking," according to a written statement provided on behalf of the plaintiff's counsel.

Hip replacement is common place in North America, with many companies providing a wide variety of artificial hips, one of which being the Wright Profemur Z hip implant. In 2009, a report on data from the Australian Joint Registry stated that the Profemur Z hip implant, manufactured by Wright Medical Technologies (Arlington, TN), was associated with an 11.2% failure rate at the three year interval. Hip implants are typically designed to last for up to 15 years or more.