First faulty hip implants case brought

A woman who had two hip replacement operations has launched what is believed to be the first action for damages over allegedly defective implants.

The High Court case has been brought by Irene Pierson, one of thousands of people who had DePuy Orthopaedics hip joints fitted before DePuy ordered a global recall of the product in 2010.

Yesterday, the High Court heard Ms Pierson’s intended action is against DePuy and related companies which allegedly supplied and manufactured the hip replacement product, Johnson & Johnson, which owns DePuy, and the HSE.