Days ago, Ethicon Inc., a division of manufacturing giant Johnson & Johnson (J&J), agreed to pay $120 million to resolve thousands of pending vaginal mesh lawsuits. Although the terms of this settlement remain confidential, the latest reports indicate that this offer will resolve between 2,000 and 3,000 cases filed against Ethicon.
While this may be a promising move for some of the women who have been seriously injured by defective Ethicon vaginal mesh devices, there are still reportedly more than 42,000 vaginal mesh lawsuits pending against Ethicon.
In fact, a spokesperson for J&J, Ernie Knewitz, has stated, in regards to this settlement and Ethico’s ongoing vaginal mesh litigation:
From time to time we have appropriately agreed to resolve some cases. We will not discuss the terms, nor discuss our ongoing litigation strategy.
Background on the Risks associated with Vaginal Mesh Devices
Vaginal mesh devices – sometimes referred to as bladder slings or transvaginal mesh (TVM) – have been used for years to treat pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Within the past decade, however, these devices have been linked to some serious, potentially irreversible complications, including (but not limited to):
- Eroding through the vaginal walls
- Puncturing the organs, tissues and blood vessels surrounding the device
- Exposing women to a higher risk of infection and scarring
- Causing women to experience pain during intercourse.
In addition to J&J’s Ethicon, other vaginal mesh manufacturers that have allegedly exposed women to serious risks and injuries include (but are not limited to) Boston Scientific, American Medical Systems, Avaulta and C.R. Bard, Inc.
More Settlements May Be on the Horizon…
The $120 million vaginal mesh settlement may be a sign of more settlement offers to come. In fact, the federal judge overseeing the ongoing multidistrict litigation (MDL) for more than 70,000 vaingla mesh lawsuits – U.S. District Judge Joseph Goodwin – has urged manufacturers to “kick it into high gear” and start seriously considering making settlement offers.
In this push, Judge Goodwin specifically noted that, if no settlements are reached in the thousands of pending cases:
- An enormous amount of money may be spent on litigation fees.
- The manufacturers face the real risk that juries will award plaintiffs sizable punitive damages (potentially in the millions of dollars).
- The Judge would expedite the process of sending the pending cases to trial.
Contact a Kingston Personal Injury Lawyer at Charles N. Rock, P.L.L.C.
Have you or someone you love been injured by a dangerous vaginal mesh device – or by any faulty or defective product? If so, you can turn to Kingston Personal Injury Attorney Charles N. Rock for aggressive legal advocacy and effective help obtaining the compensation to which you may be entitled.
To find out more about your best options for moving forward, contact us today to schedule a free, no obligations initial consultation. You can set up this meeting by calling (845) 383-1170 or by emailing us using the contact form on this page. To ensure that you have the legal support you need now, Attorney Charles N. Rock can meet you at your home or a hospital when needed.