A recent ruling by the Second Circuit Court of Appeal for the State of Louisiana ordered the Bossier Parish Police Jury to repair the pipes running under the land that the plaintiffs, Steven and Melanie Petchak, own in Bossier Parish. It was also ordered to pay damages to the plaintiffs…
Articles Posted in Product Defect
DePuy Parent Company Johnson & Johnson Admit Flaws in Cleaning Process
Reuters News Service reports that Johnson & Johnson has blamed “lax cleaning procedures” for its massive recalls of over the counter medicines and artificial joint replacements. “Insufficient equipment cleaning procedures and instances where people failed to adequately document cleaning procedures” are among some of the identified cleaning issues. The company…
Natchitoches Parish House Fire Ignites Dispute Over Insurance Coverage
In a recent post, we reviewed the Nolan v. Mabray case which discussed the requirement under Louisiana law that an insurance company must mail a written notice of its intent not to renew an existing policy at least thirty days prior to the policy’s expiration. La.R.S. 22:636.6. The purpose of…
Johnson & Johnson, Parent to DePuy, Under Scrutiny for Manufacturing Practices
In August 2010, DePuy recalled thousands of its ASR hip implant units after medical watchdogs discovered the product was structually unsafe and caused many recipients metallosis, substantial loss of mobility in joints, and other symptoms. Thousands of lawsuits immediately followed, with most still pending. Hip implants aren’t the only product…
Younger Patients Opt for Joint Replacement Surgery, Increased Numbers Affected by Defective Implants Manufactured by DePuy
In January 2011 the Washington Post reported on the recent trend of younger patients opting for joint replacement surgery. In 2008, of the 277,000 hip replacements performed in the United States, 27 percent were conducted on patients ages 45 to 64. That represents an increase of 78 percent for that…
Criticisms of Metal-on-Metal Hip Replacements May Push Physicians Away from Usage
Medical literature has showcased several problems with metal-on-metal hip implants, such as the DePuy ASR line that was recalled in August 2010. Among the various problems, soft tissue reactions and high risks associated with metal-on-metal implant materials emerge to the top. For example, some hip implant recipients are especially sensitive…
Chinese Drywall Still a Major Issue Throughout Gulf Coast
For thousands of homeowners, an unwelcome companion lives with them every day, without their consent and sometimes without their knowledge. This unwelcome housemate is known as Chinese drywall. This dangerous defective material was utilized in a multitude of homes between 2001 to 2007, when it was imported from China. The…
Lead Attorney Participates in Status Conference for ASR DePuy Hip Recall Litigation
Lead Attorney Jeffrey Berniard of the Berniard Law Firm participated in a recent status conference called by U.S. District Judge David A. Katz of Ohio. The conference was a coordination hearing, and it was the first of several that will be held to determine the strategic direction of DePuy litigation.…
Berniard Law Firm Investigating Unfair AT&T Overage Charges
While AT&T has become renowned across the country because of its success with Apple’s iPhone, a new lawsuit is developing regarding data overbilling that may see the communications giant seeing red. The Berniard Law Firm, as part of its ongoing efforts to protect consumers from unfair company policies, is looking…
Speculation Surrounding DePuy Kickbacks to Doctors Who Recommended Recalled Device
The New Haven Independent reported in December 2010 that DePuy, the company responsible for manufacturing thousands of defective hip implants, spent millions of dollars in attempts to woo doctors toward the use of its products on patients. DePuy, a division of Johnson & Johnson, recalled hundreds of thousands of the…