A multistate bladder mesh lawsuit settlement has been announced by Johnson & Johnson and Becton Dickinson. The companies have settled numerous claims, including a $117 million case in January 2019 and a $60 million lawsuit in February 2018. While these numbers are not final, they are impressive. These cases have resulted in more than 20,000 women settling their legal claims against the manufacturers. While the amount may be low, these verdicts are a significant step in the right direction for victims of this harmful medical device.
The size of the settlement varies between cases, but the amount of money awarded to plaintiffs has been significant.
A recent trial in Philadelphia, which involved a jury of four judges, awarded Barbara Cisson $35 million after being implanted with the Prolift mesh. She later had several follow-up surgeries to remove the implant and was unable to have a baby for several years. After the surgery, she continued to experience bladder problems. She eventually filed a lawsuit against Bard after undergoing multiple follow-up surgeries. Her attorneys said Bard prioritized profit over patient safety.
A West Virginia multidistrict litigation (MDL) court has consolidated more than a million bladder mesh lawsuits. The court has presided over six separate MDLs, and Judge Goodwin oversees four. This case involves Mentor, which has previously established an MDL in Georgia, where it is facing bladder sling lawsuits. The company stopped accepting new cases in Georgia in February 2013 but was later included in a second federal bladder mesh lawsuit filed in February 2013.
The largest bladder mesh lawsuit settlement to date has been reached with a woman from Connecticut.
The 6,000-million dollar settlement was based on SEC filings and does not break down compensation by the plaintiff. In a recent trial in Connecticut, a woman who received a Pinnacle mesh from Bard was awarded a $100 million settlement. She was left with pain and frequent infections and ultimately underwent two corrective surgeries. The jury found that Bard failed to disclose the risks of the transvaginal mesh and made their profits before patient safety.
Neomedic International is a Spanish medical device manufacturer with U.S. headquarters in Coral Gables, Florida. They specialize in pelvic floor products and have faced about 130 mesh lawsuits. The company settled an undisclosed number of cases in December 2015. The deal covers both the Contrasure Needleless Sling System and the TRT Remeex System. Despite the recent announcement, the bladder mesh lawsuit settlement continues to be an important part of the legal landscape for women.
The Avaulta bladder mesh lawsuit settlement was announced in late July 2017 by a jury.
This case involved the manufacturer C.R. Bard and the companies that manufactured the mesh. This is a class action. While the settlement amount for the Avaulta bladder mesh case is large, the amount for the other cases has been smaller. As a result, the jury verdict was not a full verdict for these two cases.
Although bladder mesh lawsuit settlements have gotten a lot of attention in the past few months, the total sums have been much lower than the resulting verdicts in other mass tort cases. The average bladder mesh lawsuit settlement is less than $60,000, which is significantly lower than the amount of a similar award in other cases. It is also worth noting that the majority of pelvic mesh litigation cases are underfunded. A high-quality lawsuit is critical for the victims of a medical device.
The size of bladder mesh lawsuit settlements varies greatly.
The size of each case is relative to the size of the individual settlements. A settlement for a mesh case can range anywhere from $50,000 to $15 million. In many cases, the settlements are much larger than the overall award. But a high-end bladder mesh lawsuit settlement may be worth a few hundred thousand dollars. However, the cost of such large litigation can be prohibitive for some patients.
A recent bladder mesh lawsuit settlement from a Gary, Indiana jury awarded the victim $35 million in damages. She has undergone two surgeries to remove the mesh and is still suffering from pain and discomfort. This lawsuit has resulted in a $2 billion payout for the victims of the defective device. These cases have prompted the FDA to acknowledge the lack of clinical benefits associated with bladder mesh surgery. While this settlement does not involve high-volume litigation, it is important to note that many plaintiffs have received offers that are substantially higher than $13,000.