Transvaginal Mesh Settlements

Over 60,000 women have filed lawsuits in federal court against the manufacturers of vaginal mesh implants. Thousands more have filed cases in various state courts around the country. As a growing number of women continue to report serious side effects and injuries after transvaginal mesh surgery, the manufacturers of these products have begun to offer settlements to victims and their families.

Recent Transvaginal Mesh Settlements

In April 2014, Endo International PLC agreed to pay $830 million to settle approximately 20,000 mesh lawsuits filed against the company’s subsidiary American Medical Systems Inc.

In January 2014, defendant Coloplast A/S agreed to pay $16 million to settle around 400 mesh lawsuits filed against the company.

Other defendants, such as C.R. Bard, Boston Scientific Corp., and Johnson & Johnson have reportedly also entered into discussions to reach settlement agreements with vaginal mesh plaintiffs.

Jury Awards for Vaginal Mesh Victims

As settlement discussions continue, a number of transvaginal mesh cases have proceeded to trial and resulted in jury verdicts favorable to the injured plaintiffs.

• On May 28, 2015, in the largest verdict to date, a Delaware jury awarded $100 million in favor of plaintiff Deborah Barba and against manufacturer Boston Scientific Corporation. The verdict included $25 million in compensatory damages for the plaintiff and $75 million in punitive damages against the company for fraud, negligence, and violation of consumer protection laws.
• On March 5, 2015, a California jury awarded $5.7 million to plaintiff Coleen Perry in her case against pelvic mesh manufacturer Johnson & Johnson. The jury deliberated for three days, returning a verdict of $700,000 in compensatory damages to the plaintiff and $5 million in punitive damages against the company.
• On November 20, 2014, a federal court jury in West Virginia awarded four women a total of $14.5 million in compensatory damages for their pelvic mesh injuries. The jury also found the manufacturer Boston Scientific Corp. liable for $4 million in punitive damages over the dangerous design and marketing of the company’s polypropylene sling system.
• On November 13, 2014, a Florida jury awarded $27 million in damages to four plaintiffs injured by Boston Scientific’s Pinnacle Pelvic Floor Repair Kit. The jury found in favor of the plaintiffs on claims of negligence, defective design, and failure to warn.
• In September 2014, a Texas state court jury awarded $73 million to plaintiffs Martha and Felix Salazar for injuries caused by Mrs. Salazar’s Obtryx transvaginal sling. The verdict consisted of $23 million in compensatory damages to the plaintiffs and $50 million in punitive damages against the manufacturer for its design and marketing of the device.
• On September 5, 2014, a West Virginia federal court jury awarded $3.27 million in favor of Jo Huskey and against Johnson & Johnson after three hours of deliberation. The jury found J&J liable for defective design, negligence, and failure to warn over the company’s TVT-O transvaginal sling.
• On April 3, 2014, a Texas jury awarded plaintiff Linda Batiste $1.2 million in compensatory damages against Johnson & Johnson. After a 12-day trial, the jury concluded that Johnson & Johnson’s TVT-O pelvic mesh device was defectively designed and caused the plaintiff’s injuries.
• On August 15, 2013, a federal court jury in West Virgina awarded plaintiff Donna Cisson $2 million in her pelvic mesh lawsuit against C.R. Bard for design defect and failure to warn. The jury awarded Cission $250,000 in compensatory damages and $1.75 million in punitive damages against the manufacturer.
• In February 2013, a New Jersey jury awarded plaintiff Linda Gross $3.35 million for damages caused by her vaginal mesh implant. The jury further awarded $7.76 million in punitive damages against Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary Ethicon for failure to adequately warn of risks associated with their pelvic mesh implants.
• In July 2012, a California state court jury awarded plaintiff Christine Scott $5.5 million in the first transvaginal mesh case to go to trial. The jury apportioned 60% fault to manufacturer C.R. Bard for negligence in causing the plaintiff to suffer incontinence and chronic pain. The jury apportioned the remaining 40% of fault to Scott’s surgeon. In addition, the jury awarded $500,000 to Scott’s husband on his claim for loss of consortium resulting from his wife’s injuries.

While these verdicts do not guarantee or predict success in future cases, they illustrate the dollar amounts jurors found reasonable to award in light of the serious nature of the plaintiffs’ injuries and convincing evidence presented against the device manufacturers at trial.

Consult Our Mesh Lawyers About a Claim

If you suffered serious side effects following transvaginal mesh surgery, you may have significant legal rights. Our experienced vaginal mesh lawyers can evaluate your case at (866) 808-2424 or through our brief online form at any time. All consultations are free and confidential.