Just before 10am on February 10, 2016, a Philadelphia jury in Carlino v. Ethicon delivered a verdict in the plaintiff’s favor. The TVM lawsuit verdict handed Sharon Carlino $3.5 million in personal damages and doled out another $10 million in punitive damages against Johnson & Johnson’s subsidiary Ethicon for faulty manufacturing.
According to the complaint, Ms. Carlino’s doctor placed her Gynecare TVT mesh implant on August 18, 2005. Since then, medical evidence supports her claim that the device eroded inside of her, causing organ damage and permanent pain during sex. She underwent surgery to remove the mesh twice: the first removal surgery occurred on or around November 26, 2007; the second occurred on or around December 17, 2010. She filed suit on June 26, 2013.
Ethicon Vows to Appeal TVM Lawsuit Verdict
Ethicon has stated that they will appeal the verdict. Company spokesperson Samantha Lucas said after the verdict was announced, “We have strong grounds for appeal. We believe the evidence showed Ethicon’s TVT midurethral sling was properly designed and labeled, Ethicon acted appropriately and responsibly in the research, development and marketing of the product, and TVT was not the cause of the plaintiff’s continuing medical problems.”
But Ms. Carlino is not the only woman to claim that Ethicon’s poor design and lack of quality is causing immense pain and injury. To date, more than 74,000 cases are waiting for verdicts in seven MDLs located in the Southern District of West Virginia. Ms. Carlino’s case against Ethicon may influence more than 1,000 other cases filed against Ethicon alone. The other 45,000 cases involve six other manufacturers: Boston Scientific, Coloplast, American Medical Systems, C.R. Bard, Cook Medical and Neomedic.
More Plaintiffs Awaiting a TVM Lawsuit Verdict
Carlino v. Ethicon is the latest in a long line of TVM lawsuit verdict rulings that resulted in a settlement. In fact, the Carlino v. Ethicon TVM lawsuit verdict is one of the largest payouts to date. Other recent TVM lawsuit verdict rulings include a $100 million Delaware award with $75 million in punitive damages. A judge recently overturned another $1.2 million TVM lawsuit verdict in Texas.
Thousands of women with TVM injuries may still qualify for financial compensation. To see if you may qualify for a significant cash settlement, get your free TVM claim evaluation today. You’ll answer just three short questions and see your evaluation results instantly online. Once you’ve submitted your information, a qualified lawyer will call to discuss how to get the justice and compensation you deserve.
Lori Polemenakos is Director of Consumer Content and SEO strategist for LeadingResponse, a legal marketing company. An award-winning journalist, writer and editor based in Dallas, Texas, she's produced articles for major brands such as Match.com, Yahoo!, MSN, AOL, Xfinity, Mail.com, and edited several published books. Since 2016, she's published hundreds of articles about Social Security disability, workers' compensation, veterans' benefits, personal injury, mass tort, auto accident claims, bankruptcy, employment law and other related legal issues.