On August 26, 2010, DePuy Orthopedics, which is a division of Johnson & Johnson, voluntarily recalled two of their metal on metal hip replacement systems after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received hundreds of complaints from customers whose hip replacement devices either failed after surgery or caused severe problems. The most common complaints included inflammation, pain in the hip or groin area, tissue death, loss of bone surrounding the implant, and even metal toxicity from the metal devices.

The two devices recalled were the ASR Hip Resurfacing System and the ASR XL Acetabular System. There are as many as 93,000 Americans who received one of these devices through a hip implant surgery. Many of these patients will require a second surgery within five years to correct the damage caused by either device.

In addition to the recall, there are several lawsuits pending against DePuy alleging that the company was aware of the possible side effects and injuries caused by their products but did not act until the FDA became involved. Because there are expected to be thousands of separate lawsuits, DePuy has agreed to consolidate all of the lawsuits into a multi-district litigation (MDL), which is similar to a class action lawsuit.

For those who have either of the ASR devices, they should take immediate action and contact an attorney to file a claim if they have suffered any injuries. They are entitled to compensation for their lost income, pain and suffering, and any present or future medical bills. They may also require medical monitoring for metal toxicity.

An excellent place to start the claim process is [http://depuyrecallhelp.com/]. This site makes it easy for anyone who received either of the two recalled products during a hip replacement. The website asks prospective clients to fill out an information form that leads to a free case review. There is no charge to send in the request. Anyone who believes they are entitled to compensation from DePuy should visit this site immediately.