Transvaginal mesh is a surgical mesh used to permanently fix pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI), which are conditions that can occur after a hysterectomy.  The mesh is usually composed of a plastic called polypropylene.  Litigation has arisen due to the large number of woman who developed complications when mesh erosion occurs and causes bleeding, severe pain, infection and nerve damage.  Other injuries include transvaginal mesh organ perforation, which can harm the vaginal wall, as well as other organs such as the bladder.  Many cases cause such serious damage, they require surgery to correct.

Lawsuits have brought very large verdicts, including a state court award of over $11 million in damages for a Prolift insert which caused her chronic pain in New Jersey.  A California case brought a $5.5 million verdict, of which C.R. Bard Inc. was responsible of $3.6 million.

The most recent development in litigation, however, was the allegation that Johnson & Johnson officials destroyed or misplaced hundreds of thousands of documents related to the lawsuits over a decade, even though they were ordered to preserve the documents.  The allegation comes as a result of a lawsuit filing in West Virginia on December 2^nd.  Plaintiff’s attorneys used the allegation to request that the defendants be barred from relying on defenses which may have been disproven by the documents.

This development comes as Johnson & Johnson prepares for its first federal trial over its line of vaginal-mesh inserts in West Virginia.    Johnson & Johnson denied the documents which “may have inadvertently not been maintained” caused any damage to the Plaintiff’s case.  Johnson & Johnson officials decided to stop selling some lines of vaginal-mesh implants after being hit by a wave of lawsuits.  Defendants in the lawsuits include Johnson & Johnson, Bard, Endo Health Solutions Inc. and Boston Scientific Corp.

More than 30,000 vaginal-mesh cases have been consolidated before U.S. District judge Joseph Goodwin in Charleston, who is scheduled to preside over bellwether federal cases.  If you or a loved one has experienced medical issues after implant of vaginal mesh, contact an attorney experienced in these types of cases to evaluate your claim.

Yesterday afternoon Inserra & Kelley once again provided 500 metro-area families with the centerpiece for their family’s Thanksgiving dinner with their 2^nd Annual LAWYERS AGAINST HUNGER turkey giveaway to 500 area families. 

Thanks to our entire I & K Team (and their family members) for their hard work in bitter cold, Food Bank of the Heartland for identifying the families in need, No Frills Supermarkets for providing us turkeys at cost and our giveaway location, Certified Transmission for the use of their nice truck, and Mark Fountain Photography for some wonderful work recording history!!  Father Tom Fangman and his Heart Ministry Center were the recipient of our leftover turkey stock.   This afternoon, we were happy to present Karen W. with her $100.00 Gift Certificate to No Frills Supermarket as the winner of our drawing yesterday.  Congratulations Karen!

Seeing the faces and tears of gratitude of so many that are in need in this holiday season was a fantastic way to kick off Thanksgiving with our own families, and all of us at Inserra & Kelley wish you and your family the most wonderful of Thanksgiving and Holiday seasons!

Bless you,

John, Craig and the entire Inserra & Kelley Team