Endo International, the owner of American Medical Systems, has announced that settlements have been reached that resolve nearly all of the transvaginal lawsuits brought against the company. This announcement comes in the wake of news from earlier this year stating that 22,000 AMS transvaginal lawsuits were settled with regards to different plaintiffs. That settlement was worth an estimated $830 million. This most recent transvaginal mesh settlement is expected to bring the total amount of money paid out to plaintiffs to approximately $1.6 billion. No word was provided by Endo International regarding how many plaintiffs remain despite cases being resolved with ‘substantially’ all of the plaintiffs that remained.
The news was announced via a press release issued by Endo International. A link to that press release can be found here. In the press release, the company stated that the payments for these settlements would be made in 2014, 2015, 2016 and in 2017. The company further stated that it has already paid approximately $200 million into established settlement funds. Endo International did not admit to any liability in the press release, as is relatively common in these situations. However, the company did state that it was committed to helping educate doctors and consumers as to the proper uses and risks associated with transvaginal mesh products.
What Are Transvaginal Mesh Products?
Transvaginal mesh products are medical devices that are implanted inside of women. The purpose of these products is to help to manage the symptoms of two conditions. These conditions are known as pelvic organ prolapse, or POP, and stress urinary incontinence, or SUI. These products have become extremely popular since around the turn of the 21st Century when they began to penetrate the American marketplace. Unfortunately, thousands of women experienced serious problems with them and suffered as a result.
What Led to the Transvaginal Mesh Lawsuits?
Aside from the lawsuits that were filed against AMS and ultimately Endo International, other companies were also named as defendants in transvaginal mesh lawsuits. To date, more than 50,000 women have been affected by this issue. Basically, many of these products were defective and therefore did not perform as they were supposed to perform. Common problems experienced by women included:
- Erosion of the mesh inside the body
- Vaginal scarring
- Vaginal pain
- Extreme pain during intercourse
Many of these products had to be removed by way of an additional surgical procedure, only increasing the pain, suffering and costs endured by female consumers.
Transvaginal Mesh Lawsuit Settlements and Your Legal Rights
If you are one of the thousands of women who has suffered as a result of trusting one of these products, you still have time to stand up for your legal rights. These enormous settlements indicate that companies are willing to resolve valid claims. You should only take this step with the help of transvaginal mesh lawyers who understand what it takes to protect consumers. Contact the team at Parilman & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation. You can either email the firm or call 800-800-DRUG.
