Transvaginal Mesh Lawsuits

Transvaginal mesh lawsuits, also known as pelvic mesh lawsuits, claim that several manufacturers of transvaginal mesh knew that their products were defective and could cause complications such as erosion, organ perforation, severe pain, painful sex, mesh migration and other serious issues that require surgery to remove the mesh. The term “transvaginal” refers to the technique surgeons used to implant the mesh through the vagina, rather than through the abdomen. The theory was that it would be a less invasive form of surgery.

Pelvic mesh is made of polypropylene woven plastic and serves as a hammock to support weakened or damaged tissue. It’s used to treat pelvic organ prolapse (POP), a condition where organs sag down into the vagina because of a weakened pelvic floor. It’s also used to treat stress urinary incontinence, or SUI, a condition where urine leaks when pressure is placed on the bladder, such as during laughing, coughing, sneezing or exercise. Doctors surgically implant mesh through the vagina, and it acts like a net to hold up organs.

Because of the health risks, the FDA banned transvaginal mesh for POP in 2019. Most women who filed transvaginal mesh lawsuits received the mesh for POP or SUI. Some of these women required multiple surgeries to remove the mesh, and even after multiple surgeries, pieces of the mesh remained and continued to cause discomfort and problems. The main claims are that manufacturers produced faulty products and failed to warn the public of the health risks.

As of December 2024, lawyers continue to take individual transvaginal mesh lawsuits to pursue settlement or trial even after the original seven multidistrict litigations have closed. Pending lawsuits continue in state courts across the country, though the exact number of cases is unknown.

According to the New York Times, settlements and verdicts awarded to injured plaintiffs totaled close to $8 billion in 2019. Since then, the exact totals for settlements have been difficult to calculate because some cases have been resolved confidentiality. Cases involved pelvic mesh used to treat pelvic organ prolapse or stress urinary incontinence.

Some patients have won multimillion-dollar verdicts against manufacturers. One jury, for example, awarded $68 million to Mary McGinnis and her husband in 2018. Another jury awarded Patricia Mesigian $80 million in 2019.

At one time, over 100,000 lawsuits had been filed in the MDLs against Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon unit, Boston Scientific, American Medical and Bard.

Women who filed lawsuits after receiving the pelvic mesh devices for prolapse or stress urinary incontinence (SUI) say they suffered from painful injuries such as chronic pain, vaginal erosion and mesh migration.

These women had problems such as sitting, walking, having sex and participating in other activities, according to lawsuits. The complications were so bad that many women had to suffer through multiple revision surgeries to remove the implants.

Women who filed lawsuits claim that “Pelvic Mesh Products had not been adequately tested and found to be safe and effective for the treatment of incontinence and prolapse.” Furthermore, defendants provided patients with false and misleading information about how safe and effective the products supposedly were.

The products were cleared for use based on “weak evidence,” according to a 2017 study in BMJ.

Once you’ve worked with your surgeon to address any issues caused by transvaginal mesh, the second step is to speak with an attorney to learn about your legal options. Look for a transvaginal mesh attorney who has a background in personal injury lawsuits and product liability law.

Even though the MDL for transvaginal mesh closed in November 2022, it may be wise to find a lawyer who has handled these cases in multidistrict litigation. Transvaginal mesh lawyers are still taking cases despite the closure of the MDL.

You want to find an attorney you feel comfortable talking to, and one with a track record of securing compensation for victims of transvaginal mesh. Some plaintiffs prefer to work with a female lawyer because these cases require communication about female anatomy and sensitive topics. Make sure to ask how many mesh cases the attorney has handled and the outcomes of those cases.

Drugwatch’s legal partners offer free consultations, and it’s easy to sign up by clicking on the free case review buttons on this page. Once you sign up, an attorney will get back to you right away and ask you about your experience with pelvic mesh. Take this opportunity to ask questions about what to expect, about the firm’s experience and about how they can help you.

So far, manufacturers have paid out billions in transvaginal mesh settlements and jury verdicts. Most recently, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Virginia Redding’s $2.5 million jury verdict against Coloplast in June 2024.

In February 2023, Johnson & Johnson’s subsidiary Ethicon agreed to pay a nearly $10 million settlement to the state of Kentucky to resolve claims that the company engaged in deceptive marketing of pelvic mesh devices.

J&J, Bard and Boston Scientific each lost multiple bellwether trials. The first major mesh verdict came in the case of Christine Scott in July 2012. A California jury awarded her $5.5 million against C.R. Bard. Since then, several verdicts have been awarded in favor of plaintiffs.

Some companies, such as Boston Scientific and Bard, settled cases before trial for undisclosed amounts.

In 2015, an insurance company for the device maker Caldera Medical Inc. filed a class-action suit against its client over a coverage dispute. Caldera faced 2,184 claims from women who alleged injuries from the products when Federal Insurance Co. took the company to court.

On March 3, 2017, U.S. District Judge Stephen Wilson approved the settlement in the amount of $12.25 million. “The settlement is made in good faith; and is fair, reasonable, adequate, and consistent with due process,” Wilson wrote in his order.

The case is Federal Insurance Company v. Caldera Medical, Inc. and the case number is 2:15-CV-00393. While the deadline to submit a class action claim was May 2, 2016, you may still be able to file an individual claim. Contact a transvaginal mesh lawyer to learn more about your options.