July 29, 2014 — Two law firms and C.R. Bard have agreed to an undisclosed settlement in approximately 500 lawsuits involving vaginal mesh, according to a regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The company also reported paying $259 million in unidentified “product liability matters” in the second quarter of this year. Last year, the company paid $400 million in similar charges.
Bard estimated that 12,445 lawsuits are pending in a federal Multi-District Litigation (MDL) as of July 7. Although one case was scheduled for trial in May, Bard settled the case before trial began. Five class actions have been filed in the United States and four in Canada.
Bard has lost several trials involving the Avaulta vaginal mesh. In 2012, a jury in California awarded $5.5 million to Christine Scott, a woman who needed eight surgeries to correct complications. Ms. Scott continues to suffer from chronic pain, incontinence, nerve damage, depression, and erosion of the mesh into her body. Bard was liable for 60% of her injuries, resulting in a $3.6 million charge. In July 2013, Bard was ordered to pay $2 million in the first federal case to go to trial. Bard plans to appeal both these decisions.
Over 60,000 similar lawsuits are pending against seven manufacturers in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. The lawsuits have been centralized in an MDL since October 2010. Members of the litigation are seeking compensation for medical treatment, compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, and more.
Do I have a Vaginal Mesh Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting vaginal mesh induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been injured by vaginal mesh, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Medical Device Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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