This has the potential to cause serious and debilitating complications, including metallosis, pseudotumor formation, and premature failure of the hip implant. According to court records, Judge Miller approved a Biomet hip replacement settlement on February 3, 2014, which will resolve hundreds of claims pending in the proceeding. Under the terms of the settlement, plaintiffs who received one of the affected Biomet hip replacements as part of an initial surgery that was rectified more than 180 days after it was implanted will be eligible for a base award of $200,000. To participate in the settlement program, plaintiffs must file their Biomet hip lawsuits no later than April 15, 2014. According to an alert issued by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in January 2013, metal-on-metal hip implants like those involved in the Biomet hip replacement litigation may be more likely to fail prematurely than those made of other materials.