Stryker LFIT MCL Lawsuit | 2026 Latest Updates

Lawsuits over Stryker LFIT Anatomic CoCr V40 femoral heads allege taper lock failure, corrosion, metal debris, tissue reaction and revision surgery. The hip-implant parts were made by Howmedica Osteonics Corp. (Stryker). Two coordinated mass-tort proceedings cover these claims, and no class action is named in either. Federal MDL 2768 sits in the District of Massachusetts before Judge Indira Talwani. The New Jersey multicounty litigation, called the MCL, sits in Bergen County. A confidential private settlement covers certain eligible patients, and the federal court was told of it on November 2, 2018. The newest New Jersey order, from October 2025, extended discovery to June 30, 2026.

Latest Stryker LFIT MCL Lawsuit Updates

April 22, 2025: New Jersey Court Extends Discovery

On April 22, 2025, the New Jersey Superior Court extended discovery to December 31, 2025 on its own motion, for administrative purposes [1]. This covered all Stryker LFIT matters whose discovery end date was June 30, 2025. A later order, in October 2025, moved the end date to June 30, 2026 [2]. It applies to matters whose discovery would otherwise expire on or about December 31, 2025.

November 2, 2018: Court Aids Private Settlement

On November 2, 2018, Judge Indira Talwani of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued an Order Aiding Private Settlement in MDL 2768 [3]. Howmedica Osteonics Corp. and the plaintiffs’ executive committees had reached a confidential settlement for certain eligible patients. Archer Systems, LLC was named settlement administrator, and Hon. Diane M. Welsh (Ret.) was named Third-Party Neutral.

May 30, 2017: New Jersey Designates Multicounty Litigation

On May 30, 2017, a Notice to the Bar from the New Jersey Supreme Court announced an order of May 16, 2017. The order designated the Stryker LFIT CoCr V40 femoral head cases as multicounty litigation [4]. The cases were assigned to Bergen County for centralized case management by Superior Court Judge Rachelle Harz. Her initial case management order is dated May 22, 2017.

May 2, 2017: FDA Lists the Recall as Terminated

On May 2, 2017, the FDA record for Class 2 recall Z-0378-2017 shows the recall status as terminated [5]. The recall covers the LFIT Anatomic V40 femoral head.

April 5, 2017: Federal Cases Centralized as MDL 2768

On April 5, 2017, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation centralized the federal LFIT V40 femoral head cases as MDL No. 2768. The cases went to Judge Indira Talwani in the District of Massachusetts for coordinated pretrial proceedings, and the MDL is still pending [6].

November 9, 2016: FDA Creates Recall Record

On November 9, 2016, the FDA created its record for the Class 2 recall of LFIT Anatomic V40 femoral heads. It covers 42,519 units distributed in the United States and internationally. Before that, on October 11, 2016, Stryker sent an updated recall notification because additional customers and lot numbers were identified.

August 29, 2016: Stryker Starts a Voluntary Recall

On August 29, 2016, Stryker Howmedica Osteonics Corp. initiated a voluntary recall of certain LFIT Anatomic CoCr V40 femoral heads. Stryker notified its branches and agencies that day. The FDA recall record states that Stryker received several complaints describing incidence of harm secondary to taper lock failure for specific lots of numerous catalog numbers.

What Is the LFIT V40 Femoral Head?

According to the FDA record, the LFIT Anatomic V40 femoral head is a modular hip-implant component. It is designed to lock onto a femoral hip stem trunnion during total hip replacement. The Urish study in the Journal of Arthroplasty describes it as a cobalt chromium alloy head with Low Friction Ion Treatment, used with titanium stems [7]. This is the part at issue in both court proceedings.

Who May Be Affected?

Patients with a hip replacement that used an LFIT Anatomic CoCr V40 femoral head with one of these catalog numbers match the FDA recall:

• 6260-9-236 (36 mm, offset +5)
• 6260-9-240 (40 mm, offset +4)
• 6260-9-244 (44 mm, offset +4)
• 6260-9-340 (40 mm, offset +8)
• 6260-9-440 (40 mm, offset +12)
• 6260-9-344 (44 mm, offset +8)
• 6260-9-444 (44 mm, offset +12)

The Urish study found that 43.3% (13/30) of the failures involved sizes outside the voluntary recall. Whether any person qualifies needs an individual legal review by a lawyer. See more on medical device lawsuits.

Reported Injuries or Damages

Lawsuits over the device allege taper lock failure and its harm. The FDA recall record says Stryker received complaints of harm from taper lock failure. These are allegations and complaints, not court findings. Complaint reports are not proof that the device caused every injury. The Urish study offers medical findings on the same failures. The Urish study, from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, reviewed 28 patients with 30 implants. Gross trunnion failure (n=18) and head-neck taper corrosion (n=12) were seen. All cases were associated with adverse local tissue reaction (ALTR) requiring revision surgery. It is a single-center series, not proof of causation.

Recall and Regulatory Background

A recall does not establish liability for a device maker or prove that a device caused a particular injury. The FDA lists the Class 2 recall as terminated.

Evidence to Preserve

Keep these records, because they may help show which implant you received and what followed:

• The operative report or implant sticker showing the manufacturer, product name, and catalog and lot numbers of the femoral head and stem
• The date and hospital of the hip replacement
• Medical records of pain, imaging, blood metal-ion tests and any revision surgery
• The removed implant, if the surgeon keeps it
• Receipts, bills and insurance records
• Photographs and a dated symptom log
• Letters from the hospital or the manufacturer

Filing Deadlines

Each state sets its own filing deadlines, so the time limit for a hip implant claim is not the same everywhere. Which deadline applies depends on where you live and when the injury, the revision surgery and the diagnosis happened. Some states start the clock at diagnosis. Waiting too long can cost a person the right to sue, however strong the facts are. Ask a lawyer promptly, because the clock may already be running.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Was the Settlement Amount in the Stryker LFIT Lawsuits?

The settlement amount in the Stryker LFIT lawsuits is confidential. The court order calls the private settlement self-executing and not subject to judicial review. It covers patients who had surgery to replace their LFIT CoCr V40 femoral head along with related hip system components.

Which Stryker Hip Replacement Parts Were Recalled?

The recalled Stryker hip replacement parts were LFIT Anatomic CoCr V40 femoral heads from specific lots. Stryker told branches and agencies to quarantine the devices and sent a Recall Notification Letter and Product Accountability Form by UPS.

What Does the Research Say About Stryker LFIT Hip Implant Failure?

Research on Stryker LFIT hip implant failure includes the Urish study, which gave a conservative estimate of 4.7% failure among 636 implanted heads at 8.0 years. The study does not prove causation.

What Is the Difference Between the Stryker LFIT MCL and MDL 2768?

The Stryker LFIT MCL and MDL 2768 are separate court proceedings over the same device. MDL 2768 is heard in federal court in Massachusetts. The MCL is heard in the Law Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey, in Bergen County.

References

1. https://www.njcourts.gov/sites/default/files/mcl/orders-decisions/stryker-lfit-cocr-v40-femoral-heads/general/strykerdis.pdf
2. https://www.njcourts.gov/sites/default/files/mcl/orders-decisions/stryker-lfit-cocr-v40-femoral-heads/case-management/slfitext.pdf
3. https://www.mad.uscourts.gov/caseinfo/pdf/mdl/2768/Order%20Aiding%20Private%20Settlement.pdf
4. https://dspace.njstatelib.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/74cb9306-74c3-45a9-904e-0935d3d3d323/content
5. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfRes/res.cfm?ID=149782
6. https://www.jpml.uscourts.gov/sites/jpml/files/Pending_MDL_Dockets_By_Actions_Pending-October-1-2026.pdf
7. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5572503/