Transvaginal mesh surgery lawsuits already netted billions in product liability settlements. Endo International, however, is taking different stance in response to mounting mesh injuries. After adding a substantial sum to their liability reserve, they’ve decided to settle as many transvaginal mesh surgery lawsuits as possible.
Endo Aims to Resolve All Mesh Surgery Lawsuits
American Medical Systems, an Endo International subsidiary, settled more than 350 additional cases this year. So far, the company handled thousands of mesh surgery lawsuits, including several making claims against other device manufacturers. These cases come after a $400 million addition to Endo’s liability reserve in 2014. The company aims to settle “substantially all” transvaginal mesh lawsuits made against its implants in hopes of forward movement – away from transvaginal mesh production.
Did you require mesh removal surgery due to serious device injuries? Act Now! You may qualify for a cash settlement.
Endo Agrees to Stop Manufacturing TVM Devices After Extensive Mesh Surgery Lawsuits
Not every case has yet been handled, but Endo says that suits will be settled through the end of 2017. According to Fierce Medical Devices, claims will average around $48,000 each. Endo International plans to move away from medical devices altogether in the future, instead focusing on growth in other areas. It remains one of the only TVM manufacturers to take such a conciliatory stance on the issue however. Most companies, such as Johnson & Johnson, have pushed back against such huge settlements and any kind of court consolidation. According to these companies, their devices are not defective.
Transvaginal Mesh Tribulations
Transvaginal mesh is considered to be somewhat of a disaster device, both by the women who have suffered injuries by them as well as the Food and Drug Administration. It was cleared in a unique way – instead of facing its own rigorous (and often time-consuming) clinical trials, it bypassed this process through something called the 510(k) pathway. This approval jump was created for drugs and devices that are similar to those already on the market. TVM is made of a similar material to mesh used to treat hernias and other abdominal conditions, and was therefore put on the fast track to approval.
What no one anticipated was TVM’s debilitating effects on women after implantation. Surgeons frequently implant mesh to reinforce women’s pelvic floor muscles and support sagging organs. TVM treats conditions like pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence and vaginal vault prolapse. After insertion, the device can erode through the vaginal wall. Erosion leads to additional complications, including pelvic pain, vaginal bleeding, vaginal shortening and painful intercourse.
In 2011, the FDA issued a warning saying that these injuries are not uncommon, and that physicians and women alike should use caution when determining treatment for organ prolapse. While some injured women are able to remove the device through the course of several surgeries, some are not – resulting in a lifetime of discomfort, incontinence and other issues. In many instances, the injuries caused closely resemble the conditions the device was inserted to treat.
What You Can Do
If you have transvaginal mesh injuries, you may qualify for a cash settlement. Before filing a mesh surgery lawsuit, it’s a good idea to have an attorney review your case for free. TVM settlements recently passed the $2 billion dollar mark, so now’s a great time to file your claim. Once you’ve completed your free online case review, a mass tort attorney will call to discuss your compensation options.
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.