Defective Medical Products in Pennsylvania

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As medicine has advanced, brilliant minds have created technology that can help the human body recover, alleviate pain, or even make treatment easier for professionals. These devices, such as hip and knee replacements, surgical mesh and pacemakers, must undergo rigorous and thorough testing before they are declared safe for use with the general public, and the majority accomplish their goals. However, some devices don’t have all of their flaws or shortcomings exposed during testing while others are rushed through the process and approved prematurely. These devices have the potential to cause extreme harm to those they are used on should they ever become defective.

If you have been injured by one of these defective medical devices, you could experience extreme pain, suffering, and numerous health complications, all of which significantly decrease your quality of life. However, you do have legal recourse, and you should bring your case to a skilled Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyer as soon as possible!

Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C. has served the Southeastern Pennsylvania area for more than 25 years, and provided those who have suffered the consequences of a defective medical device to seek the financial compensation they deserve. We have successfully recovered multiple millions of dollars in medical malpractice cases on several occasion, and our reputation for success has earned us not only a long list of satisfied clients, but recognition as a Best Law Firm by U.S. News & World Reports 2016 until the rating was discontinued in August 2023.

Common Defective Medical Devices

Medical devices of all types can be defective for a number of reasons. While most defective cases are simply the result of a small error in manufacturing, other instances are indicative of a more serious problem with that particular device, meaning others may have suffered from a similar issue. Certain types of medical devices are more prone to defects than others, mainly due to their experimental nature and a number of companies releasing these products before they’ve done enough thorough testing.

Some fairly common defective medical devices include:

• Hip Replacements: Over 500 recalls have been issued on hip implants from six major manufacturers due to a flawed design that features metal-on-metal contact. Over time, these designs are prone to failure, meaning repeat surgeries and even extremely painful grinding that has impacted tens of thousands of people. Talk to your doctor if you have a hip implant from DePuy, Stryker, Smith & Nephew, Wright, or Zimmer.
• Vaginal Mesh: Women who have given birth multiple times are at risk of a condition called pelvic organ prolapse, or POP, due to weakened pelvic muscles. Physicians treated this condition using a device called a transvaginal mesh, wish is a surgical mesh implanted through the vagina that strengthens these muscles. However, the mesh can potentially erode over time, breaking apart and possibly leaving sharp fragments lodged in the vaginal tissue, possibly even perforating nearby organs.
• Knee Replacements: Those who are suffering from a bad knee will often look to nearly anything for pain relief, as it both limits their mobility and causes them severe pain. Knee replacement has become a fairly common surgery, as doctors can now replace damaged and worn out knees with new, metal joints. However, like hip replacements, these components have been found to fail prematurely or even become loosened, resulting in inflammation, bone or muscle damage, and even infection.
• Pacemakers: If you suffer from a cardiovascular condition, your cardiologist may suggest installing a pacemaker, which is a small device designed to help regulate your heartbeat using a small battery and miniscule electric shocks. Pacemakers have two components: an external unit and an internal lead that administers the electrical current. Many different aspects of pacemakers have been found to go wrong, either in the amount of electricity they give off or in the quality of the materials used to construct them.

Last Updated: Aug. 23, 2023