If You Live Outside the U.S., Can You Still File a Hip Replacement Lawsuit Against DePuy?

The DePuy hip replacement recall has affected people worldwide. The ASR Hip Resurfacing System was only sold outside of the United States, while the ASR XL Acetabular System was sold here and abroad. It is important for you to know that even if you aren’t living within the United States, you still have the ability to choose a U.S. hip replacement lawyer, join a class action or file a hip replacement lawsuit within your own country.

Estimates show that 93,000 patients worldwide are affected by the DePuy recall, several thousand of whom reside in Australia, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Canada and other countries. We would advise these patients the same way we do our domestic clients. They should go to their orthopedists and have their hip implants tested immediately. The sooner patients find out whether their hip replacement systems are defective, the sooner they can have them repaired or replaced. Also, patients will still be able to file a lawsuit before the statute of limitations for making claims runs out.

Thanks to the Internet, it is easier than ever for a patient in another country to find an attorney in the United States who represents victims in hip replacement lawsuits. Not only do most attorneys’ websites list Frequently Asked Questions that will let you know whether they represent international clients, many also offer options for asking such questions online. You can get an immediate response, and it won’t cost you anything because your query is conducted via the Internet.

Another option that may work for you is to join an existing or currently-forming class action lawsuit. Class action suits involve pooling together qualified plaintiffs who have experienced similar injuries due to the same defective products, in this case the DePuy recalled devices, and then filing a lawsuit on their behalf as a single case. There are positives and negatives to pursuing this kind of action, so you should contact a hip replacement lawyer to discuss the specifics of your claims in order to determine if participation in a class action lawsuit is your best bet.

Finally, you can file an individual lawsuit. Even though Johnson & Johnson, DePuy’s parent company, is a U.S. conglomerate, attorneys from other countries can still file a hip replacement lawsuit on your behalf if you have suffered because of the DePuy recall. As the procedures for filing product liability lawsuits may vary greatly between different countries, it is important to discuss the particulars of your case with a local hip replacement lawyer. Then, decide whether he or she can best serve your interests or if you’d like to find an attorney in the U.S. to assist you. Since foreign nationals may pursue individual actions in the United States, you may elect to go that route when filing a hip replacement lawsuit against DePuy. The Rottenstein Law Group will help you obtain the compensation you deserve, and you can get started right now by clicking here or by completing the form in the upper right column.