Hezekiah Sistrunk Appointed to DePuy Hip Implant Discovery Committee
ATLANTA, Jan. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cochran Firm - Atlanta attorney, Hezekiah Sistrunk, Jr., has been selected for a leadership position in the DePuy ASR Hip Implant mass tort multidistrict litigation.
Federal Judge David A. Katz appointed Mr. Sistrunk to the Discovery Committee which will be responsible for leading and directing the discovery efforts for all federal lawsuits related to the DePuy Orthopaedics ASR hip implant and ASR Hip Resurfacing System manufactured by Johnson and Johnson's orthopedic division, DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. All federal lawsuits related to the DePuy ASR implants will rely on the evidence developed by the Plaintiffs' MDL Discovery Committee.
A National partner of The Cochran Firm, Mr. Sistrunk is chairman of the national firm's executive committee and managing partner of the firm's Atlanta office. He has over 27 years of experience in handling complex litigation, toxic torts, products liability and medical cases. Other attorneys with The Cochran Firm serving on the mass tort litigation team are Jane Lamberti Sams, The Cochran Firm – Atlanta, Farrest Taylor and Angela Mason, The Cochran Firm – Dothan, and Douglas Fees, The Cochran Firm – Huntsville.
"It is an honor to represent The Cochran Firm in this leadership position with the DePuy Litigation case management," said Mr. Sistrunk. "The health of thousands of patients has been jeopardized by these defective implants. The Cochran Firm litigation team is currently reviewing 600 cases in the DePuy Hip Implant litigation," he added.
In August, 2010, DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. (orthopedic division of Johnson & Johnson) issued a recall of its total hip replacement, the ASR XL Acetabular System and its partial hip replacement, the ASR Hip Resurfacing System. Both of the medical devices were recalled based on data from studies in the United Kingdom which showed the products were failing at a higher rate than expected, causing patients to undergo a second Revision Surgery.
The metal on metal bearing design of the devices caused excessive heat and friction, generating metal debris – Cobalt and Chromium – to be released into the body. Patients who received a DePuy ASR XL Acetabular or ASR Hip Resurfacing System suffered inexplicable and severe pain in the hip, groin, leg or lower back, muscle tissue or nerve damage in the groin area, as well as high levels of cobalt and chromium in their bloodstream.
Worldwide, almost 93,000 patients received DePuy ASR implants with 11,000 of these patients living in the United States. Revision surgery may be required to correct the problems these patients are having.
"With almost 13% of the patients who received the DePuy hip implant now facing revision surgery within five years, it is imperative that these people receive fair compensation for all the pain and suffering they have endured, including the increased risks to other illnesses they may develop from the defective device. The revision procedure can result in more pain and further joint compromise, and exposure to toxic levels of cobalt and chromium may lead to systemic diseases," Mr. Sistrunk said.
The Cochran Firm is one of the premier trial advocacy firms in the United States. With some of the most highly-experienced and respected men and women dedicated to bringing quality representation for injured people, their families and the ordinary citizen, The Cochran Firm has been involved in high profile cases including environmental, pharmaceutical and medical device products liability litigation. Recognized nationally for their achievements in the courtroom, attorneys with The Cochran Firm have obtained litigation results which have significantly impacted the law, communities, and industry practices.
SOURCE The Cochran Firm
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