Zimmer May Have Known Knee Risks, Alleges Lawsuit

A new lawsuit filed on January 5th, 2012, by plaintiff James Furman against Zimmer Inc. is the latest in a number of Zimmer knee lawsuits that alleges Zimmer knew the risks associated with its NexGen knee replacement systems and decided to manufacture and market the devices anyway. The lawsuit, filed in the District Court of Minnesota, by Furman's Zimmer knee lawyer, states that Furman received a Zimmer knee replacement system--the NexGen LPS-Flex femoral component--on July 18 2006. From there, he experienced a number of complications.

Plaintiff experienced Zimmer knee side effects

The complaint filed by Furman's Zimmer knee lawyer states that neither Furman nor his physicians knew of the risks and potential complications associated with Zimmer knee replacement systems at the time, including the NexGen products which have been central in so many Zimmer lawsuits. Not long after he received the device, he began to experience severe side effects, including "severe and debilitating pain after the implant" to the point that his knee joint mobility was limited. Furman was forced to undergo Zimmer knee revision surgery on the 23rd of December, 2008, according to the complaint. 

Zimmer knee side effects associated with surgical technique, company claims

Although a number of patients have come forward with stories of severe Zimmer knee problems, Zimmer continues to claim that problems with NexGen devices do not stem from defects in the products themselves; instead, they place the blame on inadequate surgical technique. However, a number of lawsuits, including Furman's, claim that Zimmer actually knew of the possibility of complications and side effects associated with Zimmer devices, and should have warned patients and medical professionals more thoroughly. 

Furman seeks compensatory and special damages because of his Zimmer knee injuries, asking for more than $75,000 to cover past and present injuries, medical expenses (past and future), lost income, and permanent disability. His Zimmer knee lawyer is also claiming product liability, negligence, and breach of warranty in the Zimmer knee complaint. 

Knee Replacement Recall For Zimmer, Backed Up By Research

More than 150,000 Zimmer NexGen CR and Zimmer NexGen CR-Flex Porous Femoral implants have been sold since 2003, and some doctors have reported experiencing a substantially higher-than-expected rate of Zimmer knee failures within a few years of surgery using these implants. This Zimmer NexGen knee has a “high-flex” porous femoral component that attaches to the bottom of the thighbone instead of using cement to keep the knee replacements in place. The high-flexion (hi-flex) knee implants, which promise a higher range of motion than traditional devices, and are generally used in younger, more active patients, but this appears to mean these patients more often require Zimmer knee revision surgery. Hi-flex knee replacement surgery requires that more bone at the back of the knee be removed so