Endo International Plc has announced that it has agreed to pay $830 million to settle what it refers to as a “substantial majority” of the vaginal mesh lawsuits that have been brought against it. American Medical Systems, or AMS, is a subsidiary of Endo, and it was the entity that manufactured trans-vaginal mesh products that were the source of these lawsuits. It is estimated that Endo and AMS faced more than 22,000 trans-vaginal mesh lawsuits brought by women who were allegedly injured by these products. While this settlement will bring an end to a large number of these trans-vaginal mesh cases, those against other manufacturers such as C.R. Bard Inc. and Ethicon remain active.
Originally, Endo had reportedly set aside $520 million to cover what it believed would be the legal expenses incurred as a result of these trans-vaginal mesh lawsuits. As it stands now, Endo will be paying more than $300 million more than it had originally forecast. There are some conditions associated with the settlement as they relate to the women who were allegedly harmed by these products. First and foremost, the plaintiffs will have their medical records reviewed in order to obtain their individual shares of this settlement.
About Trans-Vaginal Mesh Lawsuits
Tens of thousands of trans-vaginal mesh lawsuits have been filed by women across the United States against the manufacturers mentioned above and others. Trans-vaginal mesh products were initially introduced to the American marketplace to help women deal with conditions such as stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, or POP. These conditions tend to arise when the pelvic floor muscles in a woman are weakened, many times by childbirth.
Trans-vaginal mesh products are implanted into the patients surgically, and they have been prevalent since the 1990’s. They are supposed to help serve as a support to these weakened muscles in the pelvic area. Unfortunately, hundreds of thousands of women experienced problems with these products and many filed trans-vaginal mesh lawsuits. Claims that were filed claimed that the plaintiffs suffered severe complications that included:
- Erosion of the mesh through the vaginal wall
- Infections
- Internal bleeding
- Vaginal shortening
- Vaginal tightening
- Bowel perforation
- Bladder perforation
- Painful urination
- Pain during intercourse
Some of these alleged trans-vaginal mesh side effects led to the need for surgical corrections and removal of these mesh products. Women decided to file these lawsuits because of the costs incurred as a result of these failed products, because of the pain and suffering caused as a result of using them and because of the future damages that would be incurred.
What This Endo Trans-Vaginal Mesh Settlement Means for Others
While this settlement will bring about an end to many of the claims that have already been filed, it does not necessarily preclude other women who have been harmed by these products from pursuing their own legal remedies. If you or someone you love has been harmed by this or any other product of this type, contact the trans-vaginal mesh lawyers at Parilman & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation. You can do so either by emailing the firm or by calling 800-800-DRUG.
