Exactech Knee Implant Recall Lawsuit

Exactech Knee Implant Recall Lawsuit: FAQs

Exactech has recalled over 147,000 knee implant products and components since 2004. These defective products are causing health and safety risks for patients all across the U.S. Affected implant products include:

• Exactech Optetrak Knee Replacement  
• Exactech Optetrak Logic Knee Implant  
• Exactech Truliant Knee Replacement  

The recall is categorized as a Class II medical device recall. This means that patients affected by the defective knee implants face serious, but sometimes reversible health problems that may require additional knee surgery.

It can be devastating to learn that the product that was supposed to help heal you instead injured you even more. At Pittman, Dutton, Hellums, Bradley & Mann, we have experience in holding large medical device companies liable, and we understand what you are going through. Contact our lawyers at (205) 322-8880 for a no-cost consultation regarding your claim.

If you or a loved one have been impacted by Exactech knee replacement product, you may have questions about your legal rights and options. Read on to learn more about what can be done:

What Are Average Exactech Knee Settlement Amounts?

Exactech knee implant recall lawsuits are still in progress, and settlement data is not yet finalized. However, we can compare these issues with those in similar knee implant claims such the Zimmer knee implant recall cases.

Settlement amounts will vary depending on several factors, including the severity of the injuries, whether additional surgeries were needed, and even the skill of the attorney handling the claim.

Knee implant settlement amounts are intended to provide the patient with a higher quality of life, and may cover:

• Medical treatment needed now and in the future
• Lost wages or loss of earning capacity caused by the defective implant
• Costs associated with pain and suffering that the patient has to endure
• Punitive damages intended to punish Exactech for prioritizing profits over safety

Exactech knee recall settlements may be available even if you or a loved one have not yet experienced symptoms. The recalled knee product may require additional medical treatment and monitoring, all of which places additional financial burdens on you and your family

What Are My Legal Options?

Exactech has provided a hotline on their website where consumers can contact them regarding defective products. This may provide some information regarding your knee implant injuries; however, it is no guarantee that they will provide you with compensation or financial assistance for the injuries they have caused you.

A more focused, directed approach is to contact a defective medical device lawyer who can help you begin the process of filing a lawsuit. A lawsuit is the strongest way to ensure that you are fully reimbursed for the pain, suffering, inconvenience, and permanent life changes that Exactech’s misconduct may have caused you.

What Are the Potential Problems Caused by the Recalled Knee Implant?

Exactech knee implant inserts were packaged in vacuum bags that allowed oxygen to diffuse into the parts during storage and before implanting. This greatly increases the risk of oxidation, which can weaken the component prematurely while in the body.

In turn, this creates additional risks of injury and knee problems, including:

• Accelerated wear of the knee and the implant
• Increased production of debris
• Bone loss
• Severe pain
• Restriction or loss of movement and range of motion
• Clicking, grinding, or other noises in the knee
• Various other conditions requiring revision surgery

Exactech knee products have been found to have a failure rate 3-7 times higher than other similar knee implant brands.

What is an Exactech Knee Implant Revision Surgery?

Revision surgery, also called “corrective surgery” or “corrective revision surgery,” is an additional surgical procedure intended to correct a defect found in a medical implant.

Thus, for defective Exactech knee implants, revision surgery might require removing the defective parts that were weakened by oxidation. The problem is, revision surgery itself also presents risks for the patient.

What Risks are Associated with Knee Implant Revision Surgery?

The two main risks associated with knee implant revision surgery are:

• The revision surgery creates additional injuries for the patient
• The revision surgery is unsuccessful, requiring yet another surgery, leading to a vicious cycle of ongoing medical procedures

Both of these risks can happen in the same patient. For instance, a person with an Exactech knee implant might undergo revision surgery, which causes further weakening of the knee joint.

This then might require another revision surgery to correct that mistake, and so on. Such a cycle of repeated surgeries can be extremely painful, draining, and frustrating for the patient.  

Some Excatech knee implants patients have had 3 to 4 revision surgeries. At this point, the implant is causing more problems than it is solving, and legal action may be needed. If you are in this situation, contact us at (205) 322-8880 for a free consultation regarding your case.

What Allegations Do Exactech Implant Recall Lawsuits Raise?

Exactech knee implant recall Lawsuits raise several important allegations against the manufacturer. The claims assert that Exactech:

• Knew about the defects associated with their knee implant products long before the recall announcement, yet failed to adequately investigate the cause of the premature failures;
• Failed to warn both consumers and surgeons regarding the oxidation, wear, and degradation of the implant components;
• Negligently continued to sell defective knee replacement products, all the while concealing important information from consumers and regulators; and
• Placed company profits before the safety of consumers and the general public.

Thus, a lawsuit not only provides meaningful aid for individual patients, but it also alerts the overall medical community to ongoing dangers that might appear elsewhere in other applications.

By pursuing legal action, you are helping to raise the overall safety standards for the medical community.

How Can I Hire a Lawyer for Help With an Exactech Implant Recall Lawsuit?

When seeking a lawyer and law firm to handle your case, it is important to select legal counsel that has the proper resources and the relevant experience for your exact type of claim. At Pittman, Dutton, Hellum, Bradley & Mann, our team has decades of experience in bringing claims against large manufacturers like Exactech. We aren’t afraid to back down and will pursue your case until justice is served under the full extent of the law.

If you need assistance with your case, contact us at (205) 322-8880 for a free consultation. Our attorneys can begin the process of gathering evidence, researching the facts of your case, and crafting a strong legal strategy for your claim.