May 28, 2015 — Bloomberg reports that a jury in Delaware has awarded $100 million to a woman who was severely injured by Boston Scientific’s vaginal mesh, the largest individual award in the litigation to date.
The woman, 51 year-old Deborah Barbra, was implanted with the Boston Scientific Pinnacle and Advantage Fit implants.
She says the implants were made from substandard materials that shrank, eroded through her vagina, and caused scarring and chronic pain. She is unable to have sexual intercourse and continues to suffer from a number of medical problems.
Boston Scientific was found liable for $25 million in compensatory damages. The jury also ordered the company to pay $75 million in punitive damages after finding the company guilty of fraud for failing to warn doctors about design issues and potential risks.
Last year, a jury in Texas ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $73 million to a woman who was injured by the company’s Obtryx bladder sling. However, that award was slashed in half to just $35 million under state laws capping punitive damages.
Now that Boston Scientific is facing a stinging loss, they might be more inclined to offer settlements. In April, the company settled about 3,000 lawsuits for $119 million, or about $40,000 per case. Another 16,500 lawsuits remain pending in a federal litigation overseen by U.S. District Judge Joseph Goodwin, who has urged manufacturers to come to the table or face potentially billions of dollars in jury verdicts.
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, 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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