Federal Judge Remands Pinnacle Hip Case; Finds No Fraudulent Joinder

BALTIMORE - A federal judge has remanded a Pinnacle hip implant case to Maryland state court after concluding that medical negligence claims against two in-state defendants were not brought to defeat federal jurisdiction. Stephens v. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc., et al., No. RDB-11-1603 (D. Md.).

Judge Richard D. Bennett of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland granted James S. Stephens' motion to remand on Aug. 18 and ordered the case returned to the Baltimore City Circuit Court.

In 2005, Stephens underwent a total right hip replacement in which a DePuy Pinnacle Cup …