Endo International has agreed to a $400 million settlement to resolve lawsuits pending in its vaginal mesh litigation filed on behalf of women who allegedly suffered from mesh erosion due to the company’s products. Endo stated that it had settled “substantially all” of the remaining cases in the vaginal mesh litigation against its American Medical Systems division involving the Elevate, Apogee, and Perigee implants.
The deal could resolve more than 10,000 vaginal mesh lawsuits for an average total cost of $48,000 apiece. Earlier in 2014, Endo officials agree to pay $830 million in damages to resolve an additional 20,000 lawsuits over its implants, which have allegedly caused organ damage in women. The agreement came one day after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration stated that the devices should be subject to stricter safety regulations because they are “high risk devices.”
The FDA previously ordered C.R. Bard, Johnson & Johnson, Endo, and 31 other vaginal mesh manufacturers to conduct studies to investigate the rates of complications such as organ damage that could potentially be linked to the devices. In 2010, surgeons inserted more than 70,000 mesh devices in women throughout the country. Johnson & Johnson has removed four lines of mesh implants from the market, and Endo is still facing an estimated 5,000 lawsuits over its products.
Other vaginal mesh manufacturers, including C.R. Bard, Boston Scientific Corp., and Coloplast were reportedly engaging in settlement talks. Coloplast agreed to a $16 million settlement in March 2014 to resolve 400 claims that its devices injured women; plaintiffs are receiving an estimated $40,000 each.
According to court filings, Endo has not yet faced a trial over its products, but it is scheduled for its first trial in Texas state court in early 2015 on allegations that its vaginal mesh products were defectively designed. Boston Scientific was ordered in August 2014 to pay $73 million in damages to a plaintiff claiming that its vaginal mesh implant left her with constant pain.
Have You Been Injured by Vaginal Mesh? We can Help
If you or someone you love received a vaginal mesh implant and you would like to determine whether you are entitled to join the vaginal mesh litigation, please contact Attorney Group today for a free, no-obligation consultation. If you decide to pursue a claim, we can connect you with an affiliated attorney who can assist you in seeking the compensation to which you may be entitled. Call today.
