Lawsuit Information Center
Our Exactech hip replacement lawyers are handling recall lawsuits in all 50 states. This page is about the Connexion GXL liner recall. I talk about who is eligible for Exactech recall lawsuit and I speculate on potential settlement amounts in these cases based on prior hip replacement lawsuits.
We think these Exactech hip replacement lawsuits will fetch high settlement amounts. There are a lot of Exactech recall suits but there are not many hip replacement claims. So the ones that are brought will bring, we believe, high settlement payouts as we discuss below.
Exactech Connexion GXL Recall
The surgical implant company Exactech has launched a recall of most of its hip replacement implant systems that use the Connexion GXL plastic liner. The hip implants are being recalled because the Connexion GXL plastic insert has a significant defect that is causing abnormally high early failure rates for the Exactech hip replacements.
Anyone who has an Exactech artificial hip with the Connexion GXL liner and experiences a premature failure could be entitled to financial compensation for their pain and medical expenses.
Exactech Artificial Hip Implants
Exactech is an international surgical and medical device company manufacturer based in Gainesville, Florida. The company was founded by a prominent orthopedic surgeon back in the 1980s and it has become one of the leading manufacturers of surgical implants for joint replacement. Exactech is one of the top manufacturers and suppliers of artificial hip replacement implant systems and the Novation Crown Cup is their leading hip replacement product.
The Novation Crown Cup hip implant system features a “hemispherical titanium cup” that is intended to function like the hip socket. The Connexion GXL liner is an insert that fits inside the socket of the cup. The Connexion insert is made from polyethylene plastic and its purpose is to absorb friction caused by the movement of the joint. Exactech first released the Novation Crown Cup with the Connexion GXL liner in the U.S. market back in 2007. The Novation and Connexion GXL system is widely used in total hip replacement surgery (total hip arthroplasty) which is generally use to treat severe arthritis, osteoarthritis and occasionally for the treatment of fractures.
The Novation and Connexion received “fast-track” abbreviated FDA approval under the 510(k)-market clearance process which does not involve a complete examination and evaluation of the product design. Shortly after the release of the Novation and Connexion GXL, Exactech began receiving reports that the hip replacement systems were failing prematurely. The high early failures appeared to be due to the Connexion polyethylene liners wearing out too quickly. Within a few years after the initial release, several prominent medical journals published studies highlighting the high rate of premature failures with the Connexion liners. This information ultimately led to the Exactech hip replacement recall.
Exactech launched a Class II recall for the Connexion GXL acetabular polyethylene liner components in June 2021. According to the initial hip replacement recall notice, “premature prosthesis wear” was the stated reason for the recall. At that time in 2021, all Exactech knew was that its artificial hip implants with the Connexion liners were displaying significantly high rates of early failure. The reason for this high early failure rate was listed in the recall notice as “unknown.”
After announcing the recall last year, Exactech started investigating potential causes of the high early failures associated with the Connexion GXL. This investigation eventually determined that the problem was a defect in the vacuum seal packaging that the Connexion GXL liners were being shipped in. The vacuum packaging was missing a layer causing too much oxygen to pass through. This caused the polyethylene material in the Connexion liners to oxidize and degrade the structural integrity of the plastic linders before being implanted resulting in premature wear and high early failure.
The discovery of the defective packaging also prompted Exactech to initiate a recall of all its knee replacement and ankle replacement implant systems because the same problem was causing polyethylene inserts in these implants to wear prematurely.
Exactech Artificial Hip Recall Lawsuits
Exactech and other medical device companies have an affirmative legal duty to ensure that their products are safe for use and free of any design defects or manufacturing defects that could be harmful to users. The 2021 recall of the Exactech hip replacement implants is essentially an express admission by Exactech that these implants were defective. Exactech will therefore be legally liable for injuries and damages resulting from the defect.
Many Exactech product liability lawsuits have already been filed by individuals who suffered a premature failure of their hip replacement implant. More Exactech Connexion recall lawsuits are expected to be filed as additional patients suffer premature failures due to defective inserts.
There is often confusion as to which what brand of hip replacement is being recalled. Surgeons rarely talk much about the brand and, to the extent that they do, patients forget it quickly.
Estimated Settlement Value of Exactech Hip Replacement Lawsuits
We have not yet had any reported settlements or verdicts for Exactech artificial hip implant recall lawsuits involving early hip replacement failure. This makes it difficult to say for sure how much these cases may be worth. We can, however, offer a fairly reasonable estimate of the potential settlement value of these cases by looking at settlement payouts in prior mass torts involving different types of hip replacement implants. We can also look at settlement values in general tort cases involving hip injuries.
After taking into account these two points of comparison, we estimate that the average settlement payout in Exactech artificial hip replacement recall lawsuits will be around $250,000 to $300,000. There are many case-specific variables that could impact the value of individual cases. The most significant variables will include:
(a) Age: the age of the plaintiff will have a big impact on the settlement value of a case. If the plaintiff is older (e.g., 85) their case will have a lower value compared to a plaintiff who is in their 40s or 50s.
(b) Work Status: if the plaintiff is retired their case will be worth less because they will not be entitled to recover damages for lost wages or income.
(c) Implant Duration: another big factor impacting value will be how long the Exactech hip replacement implant lasted before the plaintiff suffered an early failure. If the implant only lasted 2 years the case will have a higher value than if the implant last 10 years before failure.
File Your Exactech Hip Replacement Lawsuit
If your Exactech hip replacement implant failed and you had to undergo corrective surgery, contact us today to see if you can file an Exactech recall lawsuit. Call 800-553-8082 or get a free online consultation.