DePuy's ASR metal-on-metal hip implants were recalled in 2010 after data showed they were failing early, forcing many patients into painful revision surgery. The litigation became one of the biggest medical-device cases ever, resolving most claims for more than $2.5 billion. Here is what happened.
Resolved · Settled Without Admission of Defect
This article describes litigation that has largely been resolved. The claims that the ASR hip was defective were contested; DePuy recalled the devices but did not admit they were defective and settled without such an admission. This page is a historical explainer and is not legal or medical advice.
What Was This About?
The DePuy ASR was a metal-on-metal hip implant system — a hip replacement in which a metal ball moved against a metal cup. Patients and surgeons reported that the devices were failing sooner than expected and that the metal-on-metal design could shed tiny metal particles into surrounding tissue and the bloodstream, a problem sometimes called metallosis. In August 2010, DePuy, a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, recalled the ASR devices worldwide. Patients alleged the implants were defectively designed and caused pain, tissue and bone damage, and the need for early revision surgery to replace the hip. DePuy denied the devices were defective.The federal cases were consolidated into MDL No. 2197, In re: DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc., ASR Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation, in the Northern District of Ohio (later overseen by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey J. Helmick).
The Settlements
In November 2013, DePuy agreed to a settlement program valued at roughly $2.475 billion to resolve about 8,000 U.S. cases involving patients who had undergone revision surgery to remove their ASR hip. A second agreement in 2015 added roughly $420 million to cover additional claimants who had later revision surgeries. Individual payments varied based on factors such as the patient's circumstances and complications. The company recalled the devices but did not admit that they were defective.Together with related resolutions, the ASR litigation became one of the largest medical-device mass torts in U.S. history. By 2026 most cases had been resolved, though a small number remained on the MDL docket. For how this compares with other device and drug cases, see our MDL tracker.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the DePuy ASR hip lawsuit about?
Patients alleged that DePuy's ASR metal-on-metal hip implants failed earlier than expected and could shed metal debris into surrounding tissue and the bloodstream, causing pain, tissue damage, and the need for revision surgery. DePuy, a Johnson & Johnson company, recalled the ASR devices in 2010 and denied the products were defective. The cases were consolidated in MDL 2197.
How much were the DePuy ASR settlements?
In November 2013, DePuy agreed to a settlement program valued at roughly $2.475 billion to resolve about 8,000 U.S. cases involving patients who had ASR revision surgery, and a second agreement in 2015 added roughly $420 million for additional claimants. The company did not admit the devices were defective.
Is the DePuy ASR litigation still active?
Most claims were resolved through the settlement programs, but the MDL has not fully closed — a small number of cases remained pending in 2026. There is no broad open claim process; the main settlement windows closed years ago.
Sources
• U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation — MDL 2197 statistics and docket, jpml.uscourts.gov• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio — In re: DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc., ASR Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2197, ohnd.uscourts.gov
• U.S. Food & Drug Administration — metal-on-metal hip implant information and recalls, fda.gov/medical-devices
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