The amount of time you lose at work may depend on the extent of the injuries caused by a defective medical device as well as the type of work you usually perform. Suppose, for example, that you had a metal-on-metal hip replacement, which required 6-8 weeks in recovery before you could return to work. A second hip replacement to remove the defective device and eliminate the potential for future injury and illness may lead to an additional six to eight weeks in recovery. In some cases, you may have a longer road to recovery ahead of you, or those additional procedures may mean that you cannot return to your previous profession due to increased disability. Talk to your lawyer about the income you have lost as a direct result of the defective medical device and what steps you need to take to protect your income in the future.