A jury in Delaware has awarded a woman $100 million in damages after she filed a vaginal mesh lawsuit against Boston Scientific. The award consisted of $25 million in compensatory damages and another $75 million in punitive damages. It is believed that this is the largest verdict recorded in these vaginal mesh lawsuits. More than 20,000 individual claims have been filed against Boston Scientific, and thousands of them remain pending. No word was given as to whether or not Boston Scientific would appeal this result.
Summary of the Facts of the Case
The woman filed this Boston Scientific vaginal mesh lawsuit after having a Pinnacle and Advance Fit device implanted inside of her body. The plaintiff alleged that the device was defective. As a result of this defect, the woman had to have the device removed in order to stem the tide of severe complications. It took two surgeries to remove the device, but even now there are still small pieces of it that remain inside her body. The plaintiff claimed that these remaining pieces of the product cause severe and chronic pain. The jury apparently agreed with the plaintiff’s argument as it formulated its decision.
About Vaginal Mesh Products
Vaginal mesh products were quite popular with women for several years. That’s because they are designed to help women deal with two relatively common problems that are known as stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. Unfortunately, many of these products are allegedly defective, leading to an enormous number of vaginal mesh lawsuits being filed against several manufacturers. In addition to Boston Scientific, other companies that have been named as defendants in vaginal mesh lawsuits include:
- Cook Medical
- C.R. Bard
- Neomedic
- Ethicon
- Coloplast
- American Medical Systems (AMS)
Many of these cases have been combined into what are known as multidistrict litigations, or MDLs in federal court.
Alleged Side Effects of Vaginal Mesh Products
The alleged side effects or complications relating to vaginal mesh products are relatively similar regardless of the number of lawsuits filed. Examples of these alleged side effects include:
- Severe pain in the pelvic region
- Severe genital pain
- Nerve damage
- Fistulas
- Severe infections
- Vaginal scarring
- Extreme pain during intercourse
The basic problem with these transvaginal mesh products appears to be that they have a tendency to simply erode once they are inside the body. This releases loose materials in the body and can lead to the problems mentioned above.
The Realities of a Transvaginal Mesh Lawsuit
It appears that tens of thousands of women have suffered as a result of using these products. Those who have should not attempt to stand up for their legal rights without professional help. That’s because these companies will defend themselves vigorously in order to avoid more verdicts like the one that was just handed down in Delaware. If you or someone you love has been forced into this difficult position, contact the vaginal mesh lawyers at Parilman & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation. You can either email the firm or call 800-800-DRUG.