QUESTION

What is the Status of the Litigation for Transvaginal Surgical Mesh Lawsuits?

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ANSWER

As of June 2014, more than 60,000 women throughout the United States are pursuing a product liability lawsuit against the makers of transvaginal surgical mesh products in state and federal courts across the country.

The vaginal mesh litigation seeks financial compensation for women who have suffered serious and debilitating complications following surgical repair of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and female stress urinary incontinence (SUI), such as:

  • Erosion of the mesh into the vagina
  • Infection
  • Internal organ perforation
  • Pelvic pain
  • Return of pelvic organ prolapse and urinary problems

Transvaginal Mesh MDLs in Federal Court

Federal lawsuits involving surgical mesh manufactured by C.R. Bard, American Medical Systems (AMS), Ethicon/Johnson & Johnson, Boston Scientific, Coloplast, Cook Medical and Neomedic are currently consolidated for pretrial proceedings as part of seven different MDLs, or multidistrict litigations.

An Mentor ObTape litigation was centralized for coordinated handling, as a growing number of complaints were filed after the bladder sling was removed from the market in 2006, just three years after it was introduced. Following several years of litigation, settlements have been reached in most of the Mentor ObTape lawsuits.

The currently pending federal MDLs established for products made by other companies are centralized before U.S. District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin in the Southern District of West Virginia, and a series of early trial dates, known as “bellwether” cases, are being held to help the parties gauge the relative strengths and weaknesses of their cases.

Vaginal Mesh Trial Status

Vaginal mesh trials are scheduled throughout 2014, with outcomes likely to provide insight into how different juries may respond to similar evidence and testimony that is offered in lawsuits that are representative of a large number of cases pending throughout the country. While the outcomes of these bellwether trials are not binding on other cases, they are likely to influence continuing negotiations to settle lawsuits.

A series of trials involving Bard Avaulta lawsuits began in mid-2013. In the first case, a jury awarded the plaintiff $2 million in damages, including punitive damages. During the first day of trial in the second case, an agreement to settle the Bard Avaulta case was reached, avoiding another potentially substantial jury award. The third case was also settled shortly before trial was set to begin

Throughout the remainder of 2014, at least two trials are set to begin involving Ethicon Gynecare mesh lawsuits and a combined trial involving eleven different women who brought Boston Scientific pelvic mesh lawsuits will begin in October 2014.

At least two state court transvaginal mesh lawsuits have made it to trial in the litigation, with one trial on-going in New Jersey state court and a second case in California state court resulting in a $5.5 million damage award in July 2012. Additionalvaginal mesh trials are scheduled throughout 2013.

A series of trials involving AMS mesh lawsuits were canceled earlier this year, after the manufacturer announced that it has made an offer to settle all cases.

Find Out If You Qualify For the Litigation

Even as the litigation proceeds toward additional trial dates throughout 2014, with settlement negotiations continuing, the vaginal mesh lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are still reviewing and evaluating additional lawsuits on behalf of women throughout the United States.

All cases are handled by our law firm under a contingency fee agreement, which means that there are no out-of-pocket expenses to hire a lawyer and we receive no attorney fees or expenses unless a recovery is obtained.

To review a potential claim for yourself, a friend or family member, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.

Austin Kirk

Last Updated November 18, 2012
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13 Comments

13 Comments • Add Your Comments

  • bonnie says:

    I had a bladder sling in 2005 and I’ve had trouble ever sense then.also I keep getting infections all the time.

    Posted on July 22, 2013 at 10:44 am

  • tammy says:

    I was butchered. 2010 sufferd until. Have had it removed still having. Problems. This has destroyed. My life. Please stop these adds y’all. Dont care all i have heard. For the last two years how they want too settle all lies fed up no one should have to go threw this somthing. Needs to be done stop needs damn adds please unless you really are going to help us

    Posted on March 11, 2015 at 8:11 pm

  • ADA says:

    there’s no amount of money that can compensate me for the lost of 30 years of marriage ,because it was never the same, the moment I went to the hospital to have that procedure done, I can really say my life stop, this thing ruin my life, my marriage started to fall apart, because of all the problems with this thing, all the pains and suffering, and then I went into a depression, and did not care any more , it’s been a nightmare,.

    Posted on March 21, 2015 at 12:51 am

  • Shirlene says:

    I was implanted with the bladder mesh primarily when it was first introduced in the state of Georgia. My bladder had dropped and I was diagnosed with Urinary Stress Incontinence. When I had the surgery, I began having problems immediately after I came home. The catheter that I came home in was not containing my urine. It was so embarrassing and I called my surgeon the same evening. He asked me to come back to his office at once. I was given an oral exam, catheter was removed and he sent me back home, Two days later, I called my regular physician and stated that I was having problems and made an appointment to see him. He checked my urine and I was put on antibiotics and pain meds. Two weeks later, I returned and the infection was getting worse. He gave me a stronger antibiotic and pain meds. I was going back to him within a week because I began running a fever and he took blood work and stated that I had a blockage somewhere. He then sent me to another urologist, not my surgeon, because I was afraid he had did something wrong. This urologist began giving me bladder instillations, once a week for six months, along with antibiotics. I went through numerous tests and I was hoping I was going to be okay. However, the urologist that I was seeing went back to Alabama and I began going back to my family physician. The infections began to get worse again and I was sent to a urologist in Cordele, Ga. He gave me plenty of antibiotics and pain meds for bladder problems called pyridium. Things wasn’t getting much better, so he scheduled me for exploratory surgery and I was shocked when I awaken out of recovery to see this foreign object implanted in my body. He sent me to my gynecologist and my gynecologist sent me to a gynecologist specialist in Albany. this gynecologist was very caring and explained to me what I would have to do and meds I would have to take before surgery could even be performed. I was on a multitude of medications (taking 9 pills at once) for three weeks. I went through multiple tests and x- rays. Soon after I was being scheduled for surgery. Surgery procedure was successful, however I am still having bladder and pelvic problems even in 2015. I lost my husband on my anniversary because I was unable to have intimacy with him, I lost my rights to feel complete and happy, this mesh DESTROYED my life!!! I will never be whole again. This is a nightmare that I will never wake up from.

    Posted on April 8, 2015 at 9:00 am

  • PAT says:

    I WAS CONTACTED MY A FIRM OVER 2 YEARS AGO. IHAD THE BLADDER SLING PUT IN. IT LASTED ALL OF 2 YEARS AND THEN IT WAS REMOVED. I THEN HAD A CODIVER TISSUE PUT IN TO REPLACE THE MESH SLING. WHICH NOW IS NOT WORKING. I FEEL THE SAME WAY AS OTHER WOMEN IF FIRMS ARE NOT GOING TO HELP YOU WHY HAVE US FILL OUT SO MUCH PAPER WORK. AND HEAR NOTHING.

    Posted on April 10, 2015 at 3:43 pm

  • CRISTY says:

    My wife has had the broader mesh operation over 2 years ago it has been causing us I say us because of all the pain and infections. And the really strong union smell we have and can not be intamant because of the pain sometimes both of us she still has it in. We have tried to be intimate about three times in the last two years we don’t now what to do we are both at our worst end end going threw depression some one please help so we can get our life back if it is not to late thanks to anyone with some help and direction

    Posted on May 24, 2015 at 9:03 pm

  • yvonne says:

    OH MY GOD ”’SO MANY OF US ARE HAVING SO MUCH PROBLEMS[[HOPE YOU GET BETTER

    GOD BLESS

    Posted on June 25, 2015 at 10:45 am

  • Sue says:

    my marriage has been destroyed, because of this mesh . the doctor said to have it taken out, it has cause me much pain

    Posted on July 29, 2015 at 2:22 am

  • rae says:

    I had the bladder mesh implant performed on December 2013. I was careful to follow all instructions regarding afer surgery care. At first I thought the surgery was sucrssful however, after one year past I begin wiwith the problems ie discharge, etreme constant pain (sharp shooting pain in my bladder. When I went in the hospital for my post surgery checkup I was told I have a spot on kidney. I am petrified to return for any additional procedures due to all of the problems. I don’t understand why pre surgery the kidney mass was not noticed because I had tons of test before the mesh surgery was performed. I am at wits end and have had to altered my life since this all started. I pray this product is removed from the market . Noone should have to suffer from a product that these companies are making a fortune from at the expense of a persons quality of life.

    Posted on August 31, 2015 at 1:49 pm

  • Harold says:

    I understand what all of you are going thru, my wife had this procedure in 2006 – she has had 4 operations and is being scheduled for a 5th and 6th operation this yr and next. Ladies – My Heart goes out to all of you. No Woman should ever have had to deal with any of this! The Company that made the Mesh is at Fault ! And to a certain degree the Doctors who implanted the Mesh are at fault also. There is no excuse for this to have happened so everyone needs to quit wasting time and doing something other than talking, I would like to know how these people can ruin our lives, families & futures and think they can get away with it

    Posted on March 30, 2016 at 5:17 pm

  • mark says:

    My wife has been in pain for years after 3 operations to get peace’s of mess removed, with sex being a thing of the past i really feel for the women that lost there men over this but thats not why i married and i will not leave because of someone else’s mistake, she’s waited on a law firm from pa. for years to settle but there dragging there feet and giving conflicting reasons, we’ve worked hard all our lives and she’s in bad health and has little my only hope is she gets something soon to enjoy what little life is left, take all there money and jail them for the live’s destroyed.

    Posted on April 12, 2016 at 9:22 am

  • Laurie says:

    I am in this when all of you. Over ten years I have had five surgeries. Yes, we have no sex live in my marriage. That bothers me and him. We are not as close. I am still with irinary Problems as well. The last surgery I had was last year. That surgery they said that the mesh and nerves are all intertwined .. I got an offer after so many years, but it appear at least 60% gets take out? Wondering if I went with the right person. This is horrid. I am 48 years young!

    Posted on July 6, 2016 at 8:16 pm

  • Anita says:

    Life has not been the same since the sling. 2011 was my down fall of my sex life pain itching,so of the mesh is still in the lining of the vaginal wall .Low sex drive ,he may go somewhere else for his needs .So that’ the hand that say we can help make life a little better,but that’s the end of your Love Life. Do they feel any compassion for all the Lives that has fell apart or just hanging by a thread?

    Posted on March 6, 2017 at 3:28 pm

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