Medical device manufacturers have a responsibility to ensure the safety of the products they bring to the market. Failure to do so can result in costly legal action—including one Texas transvaginal mesh lawsuit that resulted in a $73 million award for the victim.
Court documents indicate the 42-year-old victim had transvaginal mesh implanted into her body four years ago to help relieve a urinary leak. But the device failed and led to the woman suffering permanent nerve damage and almost constant pain.
She filed a lawsuit claiming Boston Scientific, the company that created and distributed the Obtryx sling, had wrongfully marketed a faulty product. A jury agreed and awarded the victim $23 million in compensatory damages to cover pain and suffering and her medical and legal bills. Reuters explains the jury then awarded another $50 million in punitive damages.
This was the first of roughly 23,000 lawsuits against Boston Scientific related to their transvaginal mesh devices. Other trials are scheduled to begin in October.
At Ferrer Poirot Feller Daniel, our team of defective medical device attorneys are aware of how difficult it can be to overcome the harm caused by a faulty medical device. That’s why we’re hopeful the decision reached in this case will bring a sense of closure to the victim.