A New Jersey jury’s decision to award $3.35 million to a woman who was injured by one of Johnson & Johnson’s vaginal mesh implants is getting international attention, according to a story on CTV News out of Canada.
The jury’s decision came at the end of the first trial in thousands of lawsuits involving the device, manufactured by Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon division.
The vaginal mesh implant is supposed to treat urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, a condition in which weakened muscles no longer provide adequate support for the pelvic organs. Thousands of patients have complained that it protrudes through the pelvic organ tissue, causing chronic pain and infection.
The story quotes a lawyer who is representing Canadian clients in a lawsuit as saying the New Jersey decision is a “bellwether trial” that bodes well for future cases.
“It tells us that we are doing the right thing in moving ahead with our cases,” the lawyer says.
The plaintiff in the New Jersey trial, a 47-year-old woman from South Dakota, testified that she needed 18 operations and 400 visits to doctors and physical therapists since getting the mesh implanted in 2006. Despite all that, she still suffers from chronic pain that leaves her unable to sit for longer than 20 minutes and requires her to insert a catheter in order to urinate.
Last June, the story says, a California woman was awarded $5.5 million in her case against another vaginal mesh implant manufactured by Bard.
If you have a vaginal mesh implant, you should consult with a doctor if you have any ongoing symptoms or health concerns. If you have significant injuries, you should also consult with a mesh lawyer to discuss your legal rights.
See the story here:
https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/u-s-woman-awarded-3-35m-in-transvaginal-mesh-lawsuit-1.1171336
