A judge in New Jersey recently affirmed a jury’s decision to award a consumer more than $11 million in damages in a vaginal mesh lawsuit. The claim was filed against Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon division. Johnson & Johnson made post-trial motions asking the judge to overturn the jury’s verdict or to grant a new trial. Both motions were denied. While Johnson & Johnson indicated that this decision by the trial judge would be appealed to a higher court, the decision could set a precedent for the thousands of other consumers who claim to have been seriously injured by these vaginal mesh products.
This vaginal mesh lawsuit that was filed against Ethicon concerned a woman who used a Gynecare vaginal mesh product that was manufactured by the defendant. After presenting a case that claimed that the consumer had suffered serious injuries because she had used the Gynecare product and that Ethicon had known about the risks and failed to warn people about them, the jury awarded $11.1 million in damages. $3.35 million of that award was classified as compensatory and another $7.76 million was awarded in punitive damages.
About Vaginal Mesh Products
Vaginal mesh products are designed to help women who suffer from conditions that include pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI). These are conditions that often affect women who have recently gone through childbirth or menopause. These products, including the Gynecare product that was at the center of the transvaginal mesh lawsuit mentioned above, have been referred to as ‘hammocks’ that help to support the pelvic area and alleviate the symptoms of these conditions. Hundreds of thousands of women have had these products implanted into their bodies in recent years.
About Vaginal Mesh Lawsuits
Unfortunately, tens of thousands of women across the United States claim to have suffered serious injuries as a result of using these products. Examples of these problems and resulting injuries include the following:
- Erosion of the transvaginal mesh device inside the body
- Organ perforation
- Internal bleeding
- Intense pain during intercourse
Many women who have experienced these problems have had to endure several corrective surgeries as a result of trusting these products.
To date, more than 50,000 transvaginal mesh lawsuits have been filed across the United States, and companies that have been sued multiple times for this reason include:
- Johnson & Johnson
- AMS
- Boston Scientific
- Bard Avaulta
- Coloplast
- Cook Medical
Several different multi-district litigations, or MDLs, have been organized on the federal level. An MDL combines a large number of individual claims into one action.
Vaginal Mesh Lawsuits and Your Legal Rights
The decision made recently in New Jersey sets a positive precedent for injured consumers. If you or someone you love has trusted this product and suffered as a result, you need to take steps to protect your legal rights. 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.
