Troy woman sues manufacturer for $200k

A company that manufacturers implants to correct hammer toes is being sued for $200,000 by Linda Hoffman of Troy.

Claiming the stay fuse fixator implant was defective when she underwent surgery in June 2003, Hoffman filed suit against Pioneer Laboratories in Madison County Circuit Court Monday.

Collinsville attorney John Leskera filed a four count suit against the Marquette, Mich-based manufacturer.

Hoffman claims she has severe and permanent injuries to both feet, past and present medical expenses and lost wages. In the complaint, she states she suffered from great physical and mental pain and also will in the future.

In June 2003, Hoffman underwent surgery performed by Dr. James Olroyd at Belleville Memorial Hospital to correct hammer toes. The condition is a deformity of the second, third or fourth toe. The toe is bent at the middle joint so that it resembles a hammer.

Following surgery, Hoffman claims her feet failed to heal, and she suffered from severe pain, swelling and limping, which limited her ability to walk.

In April, Olroyd again operated on Hoffman, this time removing the implants from inside the bones of her second toes.

Hoffman alleges that the fixator failed, breaking off parts of the device in her toes and leaving the two halves of the device in each foot, with toe bones mobile rather than fixated. She also claims a bone was destroyed near the implants.

The implants were defective and dangerous and not designed to withstand ordinary forces applied to them, according to the complaint.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge George Moran.

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