January 9, 2013 — More than 1,800 vaginal mesh lawsuits are currently pending in court in New Jersey, and the first trial has begun today. The plaintiff, Linda Gross, was implanted with Johnson & Johnson’s Gynecare Prolift vaginal mesh in 2006. She now suffers from debilitating complications that make it impossible to sit for more than a few minutes at a time. Her lawsuit alleges that J&J failed to adequately warn about the devastating risks of the implant.
More than 100 potential jurors filled out questionnaires today. Tomorrow, opening arguments are scheduled to begin. It is expected that the trial will take at least one month to complete.
Like many other types of vaginal mesh, the Prolift is a sling-like device that is implanted through incisions in the vagina to help support weakened abdominal muscles. Unfortunately, the vaginal insertion of the mesh is associated with a high risk of complications. Although one of the first vaginal meshes was recalled in the 1990s due to safety concerns, manufacturers have implanted new versions of the mesh in more than 70,000 women in the last few years.
As more and more women have come forward to report severe, debilitating injuries that are incurable with multiple surgeries, the FDA has asked 31 manufacturers to conduct additional safety studies. Instead, two months later, J&J voluntarily withdrew the Prolift and three other vaginal mesh devices.
The FDA initially asked J&J to withdraw the Prolift from the market in 2007 because the company had not gained proper clearance to sell the device. J&J executives decided that the Prolift was similar enough to another mesh that they didn’t need to submit a new approval application. Although the FDA disagreed and asked the company to stop selling the Prolift, J&J continued to sell the Prolift for the next nine months.
Many types of vaginal mesh, including the Prolift, have been linked to the following complications:
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Erosion of the mesh into the vaginal wall
- Recurrent prolapse or incontinence
- Disfigurement of the vagina
- Inability to engage in sexual intercourse
- Infection
- Nerve damage
- Need for multiple revision surgeries
- 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 side effects, 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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