The DePuy company, part of Johnson and Johnson, has lawsuits pending around defective hip implants from 2003 and onwards. The company specializes in orthopaedics, spinal care and neurosciences. The hip impants are a metal-on-metal bearings class of joint replacement systems. These types of systems can generate debris through normal wear. Such debris can lead to inflammation and tissue damage which causes ailments such as swelling, pain and difficulty walking. If symptoms are persistent, there may be a loose or detached implant or a fractured bone near the implant. Major legal firms are initiating class action cases against the company.