September 10, 2012 — U.S. District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin, who is presiding over the Multidistrict Litigations (MDLs) involving five manufacturers of vaginal mesh, has scheduled dates for a second series of bellwether trials involving C.R. Bard’s Avaulta vaginal mesh. The lawsuits have been scheduled for June 24, 2013, according to a Discovery Scheduling Order issued on August 23. The first series of vaginal mesh lawsuits are scheduled to begin February 2013.
There are hundreds of vaginal mesh lawsuits currently pending in federal court against C.R. Bard. All of these lawsuits make similar claims against the manufacturer, alleging that vaginal mesh is defective and it can cause severe injuries.
The FDA has received thousands of reports of the mesh eroding into the vagina, perforating internal organs, becoming infected, causing chronic pelvic pain, and more. Many women undergo multiple surgeries to correct these complications, but some complications are irreversible — such as disfigurement of the vagina, nerve damage, scarring, incontinence, and more.
In July, a California state jury awarded a woman $5.5 million for injuries caused by the Avaulta vaginal mesh. The woman, Christine Scott, suffered a perforated colon due to the mesh, and required at least eight surgeries. She still has chronic pain and incontinence, disfigurement, and scarring. Her husband was awarded $500,000 for loss of consortium.
Since a federal judicial panel created the Multidistrict Litigation (MDL), future vaginal mesh lawsuits will likely be transferred to federal court instead of state court. In an MDL, the presiding judge typically schedules bellwether trials. These trials are selected because they contain issues of fact that are common to other cases in the MDL. As these bellwether trials move forward, the parties involved get a better idea how the rest of the cases would likely be decided. This can expedite the settlement process, improve the efficiency of the litigation, and keep costs lower.
The federal judicial panel has established MDLs involving the following manufacturers of vaginal mesh: C.R. Bard, American Medical Systems, Boston Scientific, Ethicon/Gynecare (Johnson & Johnson), and Coloplast. Although the litigation is moving forward, it is still in its early stages. You may still have time to file a vaginal mesh lawsuit, seeking compensation and justice for your injuries.
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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