The surgical implant industry is highly regulated, with strict manufacturing and distribution guidelines. However, medical devices can be defective, causing extreme pain and complications, and forcing patients to undergo revision surgeries. In February 2022, Exactech, a medical device company that manufactures knee replacement implants, recalled knee and ankle implants sold between 2004 and 2022 due to recently discovered defects in their packaging. Such defects allowed their knee and ankle replacement systems to come into contact with oxygen before being implanted, which caused them to degrade prematurely. If you or a loved one underwent a partial or total knee, hip, or ankle replacement surgery with an Exactech medical device, it is crucial that you speak with your medical provider to find out if a defective device was used, and contact an Exactech attorney to discuss your legal options.
Pryor Law is representing New York and New Jersey patients who underwent joint replacement procedures and were victims of defective Exactech knee, ankle, and hip products. If you or a loved one underwent a partial or total knee, hip, or ankle replacement surgery with an Exactech medical device in New York or New Jersey, contact Pryor Law to get in touch with an experienced Exactech attorney to learn more about your rights. You may be entitled to significant compensation.
How Exactech Prosthetics Are Defective
Exactech, Inc. is a medical device company specializing in implants and surgical tools for joint replacement operations. While the devices themselves are not necessarily defective, Exactech’s faulty packaging allowed their knee, hip, and ankle implants to come into contact with oxygen, causing accelerated oxidation and degradation and allowing for the release of plastic wear in and around the joint. In some instances, patients even experienced cracked or loose devices, accelerated wear, bone loss, and more.
Defective Exactech Products
- Optetrak® All-polyethylene CR Tibial Components
- Optetrak® All-polyethylene PS Tibial Components
- Optetrak® CR Tibial Inserts
- Optetrak® CR Slope Tibial Inserts
- Optetrak® PS Tibial Inserts
- Optetrak® HI-FLEX® PS Tibial Inserts
- Optetrak Logic® CR Tibial Inserts
- Optetrak Logic® CR Slope Tibial Inserts
- Optetrak Logic® CRC Tibial Inserts
- Optetrak Logic® PS Tibial Inserts
- Optetrak Logic® PSC Tibial Inserts
- Optetrak Logic® CC Tibial Inserts
- Truliant® CR Tibial Inserts
- Truliant® CR Slope Tibial Inserts
- Truliant® CRC Tibial Inserts
- Truliant® PS Tibial Inserts
- Truliant® PSC Tibial Inserts
- Vantage® Fixed-Bearing Liner Component
Symptoms of a Defective Exactech Device
Joint implants are generally designed to last decades; however, Exactech’s defects cause the device to oxidize and deteriorate at an accelerated rate. As such, patients with defective Exactech implants reported the following symptoms:
- New or worsened swelling near and around the device
- Pain while walking or bearing weight
- Grinding, clicking, or other unusual noises from the affected area
- Loss of mobility
- Osteolysis
- Osteonecrosis
What to do if your Exactech device is defective
Contact Your Medical Provider: Contact your medical provider to find out whether or not an Exactech implant was used in your knee, hip, or ankle operation. If you are unable to reach your provider, request your operative report, which will contain a list of devices used in your surgery, along with the model and serial numbers.
Speak With Your Doctor: Talk to your doctor to discuss your treatment options. In most cases, revision surgery is needed to remove and replace the defective device.
Contact an Attorney: Contact an experienced Exactech attorney to discuss your claim and symptoms. Click here to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced Exactech attorneys at Pryor Law.
Do NOT Provide Exactech With Your Information: Do not provide Exactech with any written or oral statements or medical records. While they may reach out to offer to pay any out-of-pocket expenses associated with their device’s failure, or provide a free evaluation, providing them with any information-even your device’s serial number- could prevent you from receiving proper compensation for your injuries and expenses.
How Much is My Exactech Claim Worth?
The compensation you’re entitled to depends on the damages caused by your defective Exactech implant, which include economic damages, such as lost income and medical expenses, and non-economic losses, such as pain and suffering. Generally, victims are entitled to the following forms of compensation for their injuries.
- Pain and suffering: Patients are eligible to receive compensation for any pain and suffering resulting from the defective implant.
- Lost income and earning capacity: Defective implants and revision surgeries often force patients to stop working for a period of time. As such, you may be eligible for compensation for any lost income or wages resulting from the device’s failure.
- Loss of enjoyment: Patients are entitled to recover for loss of enjoyment of life when their Exactech products caused them to be unable to perform acts they were able to perform prior to the defective product. Patients can also recover if their Exactech device caused them to have difficulty performing said acts.
How Long Do I Have To Contact An Exactech Attorney?
Don’t wait to contact an experienced Exactech attorney, as there is a time limit. The statute of limitations for your Exactech claim is four (4) years from the date in which you learned or reasonably should have learned of their defective medical devices claim. While this may seem like a long statute of limitations, we recommend you contact an experienced Exactech attorney as soon as possible to get your case filed.
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At Pryor Law, we have decades of experience handling product liability claims, and our results speak for themselves. If you or a loved one have sustained injuries due to a defective Exactech implant, contact our experienced Exactech attorneys at (718) 829-0222 or fill out our online form for a free, no-obligation consultation. You may be entitled to significant compensation. We can help you gather the appropriate documents and evidence and conduct a thorough investigation to ensure you get the compensation you deserve, even if it means going to trial. Our office is located in the Bronx, New York, and our experienced personal injury attorneys are ready to fight for you.
Resources
FAQs
How many Exactech devices were recalled?
Hundreds of thousands of Exactech implants manufactured between 2004 and 2022 were recalled in the United States alone.
How do I know if my implant is defective?
Your medical records, specifically, your operative report, contain the devices and serial numbers used during your operation.
What if I can’t afford an Exactech attorney?
Our attorneys at Pryor Law operate on contingency, meaning we do not get paid until we get you the justice and compensation you deserve.
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