Story highlights The jury ruled that the metal-on-metal implants were defective

Lawyer: Plaintiffs suffered "serious medical complications"

Both companies denied wrongdoing and will appeal

(CNN) A federal jury in Dallas has ordered Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary DePuy Orthopaedics to pay more than $1 billion to a group of plaintiffs over artificial hip replacements.

A lawyer for the six plaintiffs said they suffered "serious medical complications caused by defective" metal-on-metal Pinnacle implants. The jurors found that the companies failed to warn patients and their doctors about risks related to the defectively designed product.

Each of the patients had to undergo a second, or revision, surgery to replace the devices and repair tissue damage and bone erosion. At least one had received double hip implants.

The jury awarded more than $30 million in actual damages and more than $1 billion in punitive damages. Jurors ruled that Johnson & Johnson and DePuy were negligent in designing the implant; failed to warn physicians and patients about concerns over the product; failed to recall it; and intentionally misrepresented the product's effectiveness to patients and their doctors.

"Once again, a jury has listened to the testimony of both sides, and returned a verdict affirming what we've known all along: a responsible company would settle these cases and take care of their injured consumers, rather than forcing them through expensive and vexatious litigation just to delay justice," said lead attorney Mark Lanier of the Lanier Law Firm in Houston. "This jury spoke loud and clear, and I hope J&J will finally listen."

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