Hundreds lose court case over ‘failed’ hip implants

HUNDREDS of patients have lost a legal battle over allegedly defective hip implants.

In what is believed to be one of the largest cases of its kind in the UK, 312 claimants brought High Court proceedings against manufacturer DePuy over allegations relating to the failure of Pinnacle Ultamet implants.

The four-month case was brought on behalf of patients who claim they were injured by the early failure of the metal ball- and- socket joint and needed surgery as a result.

However, Mrs Justice Andrews ruled they had not proved that DePuy was liable.

The claimants’ lawyers said they were ‘extremely disappointed’, adding: ‘The impact it will have on consumer safety and the ability of consumers to get redress cannot be underestimated.’

Samantha Silver, of the law firm Kennedys, which acted for DePuy, said the ruling ‘provides manufacturers with confidence that the courts can take into account the benefits and inherent risks of certain products, for example, in cases where there is a known side-effect or complication and the overall benefits outweigh the risks’.