N.J. Judge Remands Biomet Hip Case, Says Non-Diverse Distributors Properly Joined

TRENTON, N.J. — A New Jersey federal judge has remanded a Biomet Magnum hip case to state court, ruling that the plaintiff has alleged viable product liability claims against the non-diverse distributor defendants and therefore they were not fraudulently joined.

In a May 7 order, Judge John Vazquez of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey held that the seller defendants can be held liable under the New Jersey Product Liability Act because the plaintiff alleged that they knew or should have known of the device’s defects.

New Jersey resident Jan Sudnik underwent hip replacement surgery on …