Transvaginal Mesh Lawsuits Settled
C.R. Bard has agreed to settle more than 500 transvaginal mesh lawsuits filed by women who suffered injury as a result of surgeries involving the product. This company is reportedly still facing more than 12,000 additional transvaginal mesh lawsuits as part of a multidistrict litigation (MDL) that is taking place in Federal Court in the Southern District of West Virginia.
Three Cases Decided for Plaintiffs
Three preliminary transvaginal mesh lawsuits were decided for the plaintiffs in TVM cases. One woman was awarded $2 million in July 2013, while another case was settled before the jury reached a decision for an undisclosed amount. The third case was also settled for an undisclosed amount in early 2014.
Settlements from Other Manufacturers
C.R. Bard is not the only transvaginal mesh manufacturer who has settled cases related to injuries caused by the product. Others include:
- Ethicon
- Boston Scientific
- American Medical Systems (AMS)
- Coloplast Corporation
- Cook Medical
- Neomedic
AMS negotiated an $830 million settlement to resolve most of the 18,000 cases pending against it, while Coloplast is reportedly working to settle the 1,500 remaining after settling 400 of them for $16 million in March 2014. It has been an uphill battle for many women as even doctors were unaware of the potential for injury from the devices. In the case of one Arkansas woman, the courts ruled that she could not file her case in Arkansas, as the state did not have jurisdiction over Boston Scientific Corporation, the manufacturer of her pelvic mesh implant.
Transvaginal Mesh Injuries
Transvaginal mesh is used to treat pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence in women whose pelvic floor has become weak or stretched. For women with the condition, organs such as the uterus and bladder could bulge into the vagina, sometimes past the vaginal opening. Stress urinary incontinence, which can also be related to weak pelvic muscles, occurs when strenuous activity, such as exercise, coughing or laughing, causes leakage of urine. Between 2008 and 2010, the FDA received 1,503 reports of injury and death associated with the use of transvaginal mesh. According to reports, the mesh can erode through vaginal walls or other organs within weeks or months of surgery. Some women in Arkansas have reported constant pain, inability to walk, sit or walk, as well as the inability to have sexual intercourse.
If you or a loved one has suffered after a transvaginal mesh implant, or if a loved one has died from complications of having the implant, contact Attorney Group for Arkansas to learn what options you may have. You may be eligible for a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit under Arkansas law. Contact us online or by telephone today for a free consultation to determine if you qualify for a transvaginal mesh lawsuit.
