Vaginal Mesh Lawsuits May Be Centralized in West Virginia Court

A number of plaintiffs who have filed lawsuits against the makers of vaginal mesh implants are seeking to consolidate the cases in a federal court. The push for consolidation comes as the first bellweather trials in the mesh litigation are scheduled to begin in November 2012.

The U.S. Panel on Multidistrict Litigation was presented with numerous motions to consolidate a number of cases filed against Johnson & Johnson, Boston Scientific and American Medical Systems with cases relating to the Bard Avaulta mesh system. If the panel approves the plaintiffs’ request, the cases would be heard by Chief Judge Joseph Goodwin in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. Judge Goodwin has already been assigned to preside over a number of the Avaulta cases.

Transvaginal mesh implants were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1995. The devices are used to treat a condition known as pelvic organ prolapse (POP), which is a deterioration of the pelvic floor muscles. The condition, which is primarily limited to women who’ve experienced childbirth, weight gain or hysterectomy, can result in incontinence and other uncomfortable side effects.

Since 2008, the FDA has received thousands of complaints from women who complained of severe pain, infection, scarring, blood vessel damage and other complications after receiving a vaginal mesh implant. The FDA issued updated safety warnings for the devices to better inform women of the potential health risks associated with the implants.

It’s estimated that there are approximately 4,000 lawsuits pending against vaginal mesh manufacturers in state and federal courts across the country. With an estimated 300,000 women receiving mesh implants each year, that figure is expected to increase substantially. Centralization of some or all of these cases could streamline the process and substantially reduce costs for all parties involved.

Consumer advocacy groups are encouraging women who’ve been injured by vaginal mesh to contact an experienced personal injury attorney to discuss their claim. Prominent national law firm Nadrich & Cohen LLP is now providing free initial case evaluations to women in all 50 states who’ve been negatively impacted by a mesh device. Help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling the Injury Hotline at 1-800-722-0765. Mesh recipients can access the latest news and updates on the pending mesh litigation by visiting the firm’s online resource center at www.VaginalMeshLegalClaims.com.

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Jennifer Poole
National Client Intake Coordinator
Nadrich & Cohen LLP
12100 Wilshire Blvd.
Suite 1250
Los Angeles, CA 90025
800-718-4658
www.PersonalInjuryLawCal.com

Nadrich & Cohen LLP is a national law firm specializing in providing assistance to clients who've been injured by defective medical devices, harmful products and prescription drugs, car accidents, motorcycle accidents and dog bites.

Jennifer Poole
National Client Intake Coordinator
Nadrich & Cohen LLP
12100 Wilshire Blvd.
Suite 1250
Los Angeles, CA 90025
800-718-4658
www.PersonalInjuryLawCal.com

This release was published on openPR.