Anticipated Settlement Values

ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. The information on this page is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Every case is different. Your potential recovery depends on the specific facts of your case.

You will not find a specific dollar amount on this page. Any firm that publishes one before the first Cartiva bellwether trial has resolved is making a promise it cannot keep.

What you WILL find is:

• The categories of compensation that may be available in a Cartiva claim
• The factors that affect what an individual claim may be worth
• The history of Stryker's prior medical device settlements as public reference
• An honest assessment of why estimating your specific claim today is impossible

If you want a defensible answer to "what is my case worth?", the only honest path is a free case review where an attorney can look at your medical records, your state's law, your specific complications, and the status of the litigation when you file.

Product liability claims for defective medical devices typically include four categories of damages. Whether each applies to your case depends on your specific facts.

1. Medical Expenses (Past and Future)

You may be entitled to recover the cost of medical treatment related to your Cartiva implant and its complications. This includes:

• Diagnostic imaging (X rays, MRIs, CT scans to evaluate implant failure)
• Revision surgery to remove or replace the implant
• Fusion surgery (arthrodesis) if revision required permanent joint fusion
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation
• Post surgical care, medications, and follow up appointments
• Future medical expenses if your condition requires ongoing treatment

Medical records and itemized billing statements are the foundation of this category. We help you obtain them.

2. Lost Wages and Lost Earning Capacity

If your Cartiva failure caused you to miss work or reduced your ability to earn income going forward, you may be entitled to recover:

• Wages lost during recovery from revision or fusion surgery
• Sick leave, vacation, or PTO used during recovery
• Reduced earning capacity if your foot condition limits your ability to perform your job
• Self employment income lost if you were unable to operate your business
• Loss of future career opportunities in some cases

Pay stubs, tax returns, and employer documentation establish this category.

3. Pain and Suffering

Cartiva failures have caused patients to experience:

• Persistent foot pain, often more severe than the original arthritis the implant was supposed to treat
• Loss of mobility and inability to walk normally
• Reduced range of motion, sometimes permanent after fusion surgery
• Sleep disruption from chronic pain
• Anxiety, depression, or emotional distress from the failed surgery and revision experience
• Loss of enjoyment of activities you participated in before the implant failed

Pain and suffering damages are not capped in most states but may be subject to state specific limitations. Some states (Florida, Texas, California, and others) have specific rules on non economic damages in product liability cases.

4. Punitive Damages (in Some Cases)

In product liability cases where a manufacturer's conduct is found to have been reckless, grossly negligent, or fraudulent, courts may allow punitive damages on top of compensatory damages. These are intended to punish the defendant and deter future misconduct.

Whether punitive damages are available in a Cartiva claim depends on:

• The evidence developed in discovery about what Stryker knew and when
• The specific state law that applies to your claim
• The court's evaluation of the conduct alleged
• The outcome of bellwether trials and the MDL court's rulings

The Cartiva litigation centers on allegations that the manufacturer reported a 13.5% failure rate to the FDA while independent studies have documented failure rates as high as 64%. Whether that disparity supports punitive damages is one of the central legal questions of the MDL.

Even within the four categories above, what an individual Cartiva claim is worth varies dramatically. The factors that typically matter most:

• Severity of injury. A patient who required a single revision surgery and recovered fully has a different claim than a patient who required fusion, lost mobility, and suffers chronic pain. Both may have valid claims. The values differ.
• Age and life expectancy. Future medical expenses and reduced earning capacity calculations depend on the patient's age and projected remaining working years.
• Occupation. A patient whose work depends on standing, walking, or physical mobility may have a stronger lost earning capacity claim than a sedentary worker.
• State law. Each state has its own statute of limitations, damages caps (in some states), comparative fault rules, and procedural requirements. The same injury may be worth different amounts depending on where the claim is filed.
• Strength of the medical evidence. Documented implant failure, revision surgery records, and pre and post surgical imaging strengthen a claim. Gaps in medical records weaken it.
• Stage of the litigation at resolution. Claims that settle early in an MDL sometimes resolve for less than claims that survive to bellwether or post bellwether negotiations. Claims that resolve after a strong plaintiff verdict sometimes resolve for more. The timing matters.
• Whether a global settlement is reached. If Stryker negotiates a global settlement for the Cartiva MDL, individual claims will be evaluated using a settlement matrix that weighs the factors above. If no global settlement is reached, individual claims proceed to individual evaluation, mediation, or trial.

We cannot tell you what your Cartiva claim will be worth. But Stryker's history with medical device litigation is a matter of public record and may help you understand the scale of how these cases have historically resolved.

Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG II Hip Implants (2014). Stryker agreed to a settlement of approximately $1.43 billion to resolve thousands of claims from patients who experienced complications from defective hip stems. Public reporting indicated a base settlement of approximately $300,000 per qualifying plaintiff, with higher amounts available for plaintiffs with more severe injuries or multiple surgeries. The settlement covered claims in 39 states.

Stryker LFIT V40 Femoral Heads (2018). Stryker reached a settlement reported at approximately $75 million covering MDL and individual lawsuits, resolving claims involving alleged defects in the LFIT V40 femoral head component.

What this history does NOT predict. Cartiva is a different device, different patient population, different injuries, different MDL, and different state of the litigation. The Cartiva MDL was only consolidated in February 2026. No bellwether has been tried. Past Stryker settlements should not be read as a forecast of Cartiva outcomes.

What this history does suggest. Stryker has resolved prior medical device MDLs through global settlements rather than litigating each case to verdict. Whether the Cartiva MDL follows the same pattern remains to be determined.

Honest answer: today, no Cartiva attorney can responsibly tell you a specific dollar value for your claim. Here is why.

• No bellwether trials have concluded. Bellwether trials in mass tort MDLs are how attorneys and defendants establish the value range of claims. Until at least one Cartiva bellwether resolves, settlement value remains speculative.
• No global settlement exists. Some firms have resolved individual Cartiva cases confidentially. Those resolutions are not public and do not establish a benchmark.
• Your facts have not been evaluated. Even if a settlement matrix existed, your specific recovery would depend on your medical records, your state's law, your injury severity, and your individual losses.
• The litigation is evolving. New plaintiffs are filing every month. Discovery is ongoing. The court's rulings on legal issues will affect case values. The first bellwether is scheduled but has not occurred.

Any attorney who quotes you a specific dollar value today is either guessing or making a promise the rules of professional responsibility do not allow.

We can do a free case review. In about 60 seconds, you tell us what happened. In a follow up call, an attorney reviews your specific facts, your state's law, the timing of your surgery and revision, and the status of the MDL.

After that review, we can give you an honest assessment of:

• Whether you have a viable Cartiva claim
• What category of damages may apply to your case
• What state your claim would be filed in and what deadlines apply
• What documentation you need to start gathering
• What the realistic path looks like from intake through resolution

We will not tell you a specific dollar number. We will tell you the truth.

Every state has a statute of limitations on product liability claims. The exact deadline depends on:

• The state where your surgery was performed
• The date you knew or should have known of the injury (the discovery rule)
• Whether your state has a statute of repose in addition to the statute of limitations
• Whether tolling provisions apply

Once the statute of limitations expires, your right to recover is gone forever, no matter how strong your case may have been.

The Cartiva MDL is also moving toward bellwether trials. Patients who file before a global settlement is reached preserve their seat at the table. Patients who delay may find their claims valued differently or excluded.

If you had a Cartiva implant that failed, the responsible action is to find out where you stand today, not to wait for more information.

We do not charge a fee unless we recover compensation for you. The case review is free, confidential, and takes about 60 seconds.