Lawsuits alleging Wright Medical Technology Inc. and MicroPort Orthopedics Inc. over defective hip implants have been consolidated in the Eastern District of Arkansas by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML).
The proposal for consolidation was filed on May 18, by the plaintiffs involved in the hip replacement lawsuits to help avoid duplicative discovery, prevent contradictory rulings from different judges, and serve the convenience of the parties, witnesses, and the courts.
The manufacturers opposed the consolidation asserting that the cases are attempting on diverse theories of liability and are at different stages. They also said that the consolidation is unnecessary, as they have already voluntarily formed methods for streamlining discovery in similar suits and have consolidated the suits in separate state-based proceedings.
According to the federal docket dated August 7, the panel assigned the cases to U.S. District Judge Kristine G. Baker under MDL No. 2949 and said that the actions involve common questions of fact, and centralization will serve the convenience of the parties and witnesses.
Nearly 47 cases are pending in 25 different U.S. District Courts against the manufacturers, each claiming that plaintiffs suffered complications after the Profemur total hip implant modular femoral neck coupled with a modular titanium Profemur femoral stem were used together in a total hip replacement system.
Other manufacturers, including DePuy Synthes, Zimmer Biomet, and Stryker Corporation, are also facing similar lawsuits against their hip implants. Several hip implants have been recalled due to their design defects and rising number of lawsuits.
