Joint issues are often age-related. Sometimes, they are genetic or the result of a traumatic injury. Regardless of why you needed to have a hip replacement, you probably expected that the procedure would reduce your pain and increase your mobility.
You know that the procedure itself would be painful and require a somewhat lengthy recovery. You expected physical therapy and even mild restrictions on your activities after the procedure. What you didn’t expect was increasing pain well after the surgery healed and possibly severe secondary infections.
The sad truth is that metal-on-metal hip implants can and do fail, sometimes catastrophically. Older adults who have Medicare benefits may find that they don’t have the coverage they need.
What happens when a hip implant fails?
Different people have different medical consequences from a failed implant. Pain and decreased mobility are common consequences. For some people, systemic infections and severe illness can result from small pieces of the implant winding up in their bloodstream.
Failed hip implants will undoubtedly require a revision surgery, but the costs don’t end there. People often have to have the defective implant removed and allow their body time to heal before a new hip implant procedure.
After a hip transplant fails, someone may wind up in the hospital for weeks or need to go to a rehabilitation facility. Unfortunately, Medicare strictly limits the amount of rehabilitation care it covers. Especially in cases where people don’t improve rapidly, Medicare may cut off coverage. That could leave you trapped at a rehabilitation facility, unable to walk until you have another surgery, with thousands of dollars of medical bills piling up in your name.
Filled hip implants can lead to civil lawsuits
Companies that manufacture and market products intended for medical purposes need to be absolutely certain that those products are safe for people and durable enough to perform their intended purposes. Cutting corners when it comes to research and development can lead to severe, negative outcomes for patients.
If you have had to have a hip implant revision surgery, particularly if you have uncovered expenses, the manufacturer of the implant may have some responsibility for your losses. Exploring your rights as a patient suffering from a defective medical device’s failure can help you get the compensation you deserve.