Jo Huskey was one of the 33,000 MDL plaintiffs in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. A court ruled on her transvaginal mesh lawsuit against manufacturer Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary, Ethicon.
Huskey was 52 when she had vaginal mesh implanted to treat stress urinary incontinence. However, Huskey claimed that she was fitted with a defective product. In addition, her suit claims the maker failed to warn doctors and patients about severe associated risks, including perforation and chronic pain that may require surgical mesh removal.
Jury Awards Mesh Plaintiff Millions in Damages
After a two-week trial, the jury awarded Huskey $3.27 million. This award included:
- $100,000 in reasonable expenses
- $470,000 for pain and suffering
- An additional $2.5 million for pain and suffering, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life that will continue in the future
- $200,000 to compensate Huskey’s husband for loss of consortium
The jurors found that J&J and Ethicon failed to properly warn doctors and patients of the risks. In addition, the jury found both liable for negligence and producing mesh with a faulty design.
“This seemingly mirrors some of the concerns raised by the FDA relating to serious complications associated with transvaginal placement of surgical mesh for pelvic organ prolapse,” Harry Bell, a lawyer associated with these cases, said in a statement. “Sadly, this has adversely affected thousands of women.”
What You Can Do
The FDA issued a 2011 safety warning regarding TVM complications. If you have serious TVM side effects and need surgical removal, talk to a lawyer. It’s helpful to contact a lawyer who specializes in mass tort cases about your claim. To see how long you have left to file a claim and qualify for a cash settlement, click the related link below.
Related: Find Your State’s Deadline to File an Injury Claim
Lori Polemenakos is Director of Consumer Content and SEO strategist for LeadingResponse, a legal marketing company. An award-winning journalist, writer and editor based in Dallas, Texas, she's produced articles for major brands such as Match.com, Yahoo!, MSN, AOL, Xfinity, Mail.com, and edited several published books. Since 2016, she's published hundreds of articles about Social Security disability, workers' compensation, veterans' benefits, personal injury, mass tort, auto accident claims, bankruptcy, employment law and other related legal issues.