by Marilyn T. McGoldrick, Esq.
A Delaware jury awarded $100 million dollars to a woman who suffered vaginal scarring and constant pain after receiving transvaginal mesh implants made by Boston Scientific. The Delaware state court jury awarded $25 million in compensatory damages and $75 million in punitive damages to Deborah Barba, age 51. Mrs. Barba was implanted with Boston Scientific’s Advantage Fit and Pinnacle transvaginal mesh (TVM) products in 2009 to treat to treat pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Thousands of women have been implanted with similar mesh products to treat POP and SUI over the last decade. Thornton Law Firm represents women across the United States in lawsuits against various pelvic mesh manufacturers for the serious injuries those implants have caused.
The jury found that the mesh implants were defectively designed and manufactured, and that Marlborough, Massachusetts-based Boston Scientific failed to warn doctors and patients of the risks. Mrs. Barba suffered vaginal scarring, mesh erosion and constant, unremitting pain that left her unable to have sexual intercourse. Despite two subsequent surgeries, doctors have not been able to remove all the embedded, pain-causing mesh. After the verdict was announced, she spoke out for other women suffering from defective transvaginal mesh: “I am thankful for the jury’s verdict and hope my story can help other women who are suffering from mesh complications to receive the resolution they deserve. While difficult to share, I hope my case demonstrates to all mesh manufacturers the dangers of their products and the justice they owe victims.”
This is the largest verdict against any manufacturer in the mesh litigation. The largest verdict before this was $73.5 million awarded last year to a Texas woman against Boston Scientific over her Obtryx mesh sling. More than 70,000 mesh cases are pending in federal court in West Virginia, and more are pending in state courts in California, Delaware, Missouri, New Jersey, and Texas.
Thornton Law Firm’s transvaginal mesh attorneys represent women in claims against all the manufacturers of transvaginal mesh: Boston Scientific Corp., Caldera, C.R. Bard, Inc., Ethicon (a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson) and Sofradim/Covidien. If you have a transvaginal mesh implant and have suffered complications including mesh erosion, mesh contraction, pain, additional surgery, infection, bleeding, urinary problems, vaginal tightening or shortening, painful sexual intercourse, inability to engage in sexual intercourse, or organ perforation, for a free, confidential evaluation of your legal claim, please tell us your story here or call our toll free number 888-341-1405. Like all legal claims, defective mesh claims are subject to short, strictly enforced time limits. Do not delay seeking legal advice.
