Rottenstein Law Group Learns of Next MDL Status Conference Scheduled by Federal Court in DePuy Orthopaedics ASR Hip Replacement Lawsuit Proceedings

(New York, NY, October 31, 2011) The Rottenstein Law Group, which represents clients with claims stemming from the recall of defective hip replacement devices manufactured and sold by DePuy Orthopaedics, has learned that the next status conference in the multidistrict litigation has been scheduled for November 22.
By Order dated October 26, 2011, in the Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) known as In re: DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc., ASR Hip Implants Products Liability Litigation (MDL Docket No. 1:10-md-02197) in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, presiding Judge David A. Katz scheduled a status conference with the Executive Committee for the morning of November 22, to be held in the federal courthouse in Toledo. The Executive Committee is comprised of six lawyers from as many firms designated by the Court in January to represent the interests of all plaintiffs in the multidistrict litigation.
Late last month, Judge Katz, by Case Management Order No. 10, required defendant DePuy to provide certain information and documentation for each ASR hip replacement device identified as having been implanted in a plaintiff in the litigation. Once a plaintiff has identified by serial number a device and/or components thereof, DePuy must, within 120 days, disclose information including, among other things: the date on which the device/component was manufactured; the facilities where manufactured; the date shipped; the chain of custody of the item; and the identity of any sales representative present when the device was implanted. In addition, DePuy must produce documentation containing relevant communications concerning each device at issue, as well as any adverse event reports and documents obtained by Broadspire, DePuy’s insurance carrier, from each plaintiff.
In August, 2010, DePuy announced a global hip replacement recall of its two devices – the ASR Hip Resurfacing System and the ASR XL Acetabular System. Each unit replaces a worn or weakened part of the hip. Many orthopedic physicians believe the implants were poorly designed; they can generate metallic debris from wear, causing inflammation and tissue damage in recipients, as reported last year by the New York Times. 93,000 individuals worldwide had an ASR device implanted before the recall, according to data published by DePuy itself.
DePuy, a division of Johnson & Johnson, issued a global recall of its ASR devices after the National Joint Registry of England and Wales disclosed data showing that within five years, about 12 percent of recipients of the hip resurfacing system and about 13 percent of the recipients of the acetabular system, needed revision surgery.
Rottenstein Law Group principal Rochelle Rottenstein says, “We implore anyone with a friend or relative who has received a hip replacement device since 2003 to reach out to that person and recommend that he or she consult a physician immediately and then speak to a qualified personal injury lawyer.”
The Rottenstein Law Group maintains a DePuy Hip Recall Information Center at www.depuysettlement.com. The site has features that allow for easy sharing on popular social media Web sites like Facebook and Twitter. These features enable users to spread the word about the DePuy ASR hip replacement recall and ongoing litigation.
About the Rottenstein Law Group
The Rottenstein Law Group is a New York-based law firm that represents clients in mass tort actions. The firm was founded by Rochelle Rottenstein, a lawyer with over two decades of experience in compassionate representation of clients in consumer product injury, mass tort, and class action law suits. For more information, please visit their Web site, or call (888) 9-ROT-LAW.

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