ZIMMER LOSES FIRST DUROM CUP LAWSUIT (Orthopedics This Week)
A Los Angeles jury has handed Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. a $9.2 million loss over the company’s Durom Cup hip replacement system. It was the first trial loss for Zimmer over the system.
According to published reports, Gary Kline filed suit against Zimmer after experiencing complications with the device and had to undergo two revision surgeries to correct the problems. The jury returned the verdict in only a few hours after a three week trial. The jury said the company failed to warn of the dangers associated with the cup and that its design was faulty.
Kline's lawyers noted that Zimmer had sold the implant in Europe, where it reportedly had a track record of acceptable patient safety. However, they argued, Zimmer made modifications to the plasma coating of the implant. They told the jury that the company failed to perform safety tests on the new plasma coating before introducing the device into the U.S. market.
No Punitive Damages
There were no punitive damages, with $153,000 in medical costs, $6.4 million in future noneconomic damages and $2.6 million for past noneconomic damages, according to a July 28, 2015 Reuters r...
