Tag: product liability attorneys

Study Shows Cell Phone Use May Be Linked to Brain Cancer

Posted on by YostLaw

A recent federal study conducted by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) found that radiofrequency radiation (RFR) emitted by cell phones is linked to an increased risk of brain cancer. The study, which cost $25 million dollars and was conducted over a 2 ½ year period, showed that RF radiation can promote the growth of two types of tumors – glioma and schwannoma.

Although these results were obtained during experiments performed on rodents, the authors feel that this study “could have broad implications for public health.” The study showed that the incidence rate of malignant glioma and schwannoma tumors increased with exposure to RFR.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently denies that there is any scientific evidence to support the link between cell phone radiation and the risk of brain tumors. However, the results of this study suggest that more research must be done on this topic in the interest of protecting public safety and health. The researchers of this multi-million dollar study wrote that the results “appear to support” the conclusion that RF radiation may indeed be carcinogenic.

Every year, there are 25,000 malignant brain tumors diagnosed in the U.S. Malignant brain tumors are the most common cause of cancer-related deaths for people between the ages of 15 and 39, and about 80% of malignant brain tumors are gliomas.

To read more about the results of this study, click here.

The authors of this study believe that there still is not enough data to declare definitively that cell phone radiation has no link to cancer. More research on the potential link between cell phone radiation and brain tumors is still being conducted. At The Yost Legal Group, our goal is to inform and educate consumers about potential health risks.

If you or a loved one has been harmed by a defective or unsafe product, call The Yost Legal Group at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529). When you call, you will receive a FREE, confidential consultation with one of our experienced Baltimore Product Liability attorneys.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Defective Medical Devices Can Have Devastating Consequences

Posted on by YostLaw

Manufacturers of medical devices have an obligation to ensure the safety of their products. The effects of a faulty device can be devastating.  Companies that fail in their duty to keep patients safe must be held fully accountable.

If you received a hip replacement from the Stryker Orthopedics Corporation, you could be entitled to compensation. Their Stryker Rejeuvenate and ABG-11 modular-neck hip systems were recalled as a result of their harmful effects on many patients, including:

  • Pain
  • Difficulty Walking
  • Inflammation
  • Squeaky Hips
  • Metallosis
  • General Discomfort

These side effects are a result of potential metallosis, or metal ion poisoning from small particles of metal rubbing against one another. The Stryker hips are made entirely of metal, which fragments when rubbed together.

Although an average hip replacement can last for 15 years or more, Stryker patients are seeing complications as soon as 5 years or less past their surgery. Over 20,000 patients have received Stryker hips and now stand at risk.

If you or a loved one has suffered the effects of these defective hip replacements, contact the experienced, concerned attorneys at The Yost Legal Group at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529). We will work hard to get to the truth and see that justice is served.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Lawyers Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights.

Stryker Corp Faces Another Large Settlement in Fraud Case

Posted on by YostLaw

Stryker Corporation has announced a major settlement of almost $1.5 billion dollars to be paid to thousands of patients injured by their metal-on-metal Rejuvenate and ABG II Model hip implants. The company now finds itself at the center of another controversy involving one of its subsidiaries, OtisMed, and another dangerously defective piece of medical equipment.

Stryker Corp acquired OtisMed, a California-based medical device company, in 2009. After the merger, Stryker helped oversee the creation and distribution of OtisKnee, a device sold to hospitals as a guide to assist surgeons during knee replacement procedures.

Despite the fact that OtisMed sold over 18,000 OtisKnee guides between 2006 and 2009, resulting in an estimated $27 million profit, the company never received FDA approval for their device. The FDA in fact rejected their product as unsafe in 2009, but this did not deter former OtisMed CEO Charlie Chi from ordering the shipment of 218 OtisKnee devices to doctors and surgeons across the country.

Charlie Chi has since pled guilty to three counts of fraud and faces up to three years in prison. He has been released on $500,000 bail pending a sentencing hearing on March 18th. While Stryker maintains that they were not aware of the FDA’s rejection of the OtisKnee system prior to their 2009 merger, this case still places the embattled company firmly in the center of another major defective medical device controversy.

Medical device manufacturers have an obligation to the patients and doctors who utilize these devices, to follow the proper safety guidelines and deliver the safest, FDA approved product possible. When companies like OtisMed and Stryker Corp betray that obligation and put company gains over consumer safety, it creates a major public health problem. Medical device manufacturers must be held accountable for the tragic and unfortunate complications they cause to unsuspecting patients and doctors.

If you or a loved one has received a Stryker hip implant, call The Yost Legal Group today for help. We will speak with you for free, review your medical records for free, and determine if you have one of the recalled metal hip implants.

If you are experiencing any pain after hip replacement surgery or have had a hip revision surgery, call 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) today. We’ll speak with you for free, explain your rights and fight to make sure you receive the justice and compensation you deserve.

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