Bellwether Vaginal Mesh Trial Results in $2 Million Verdict
A West Virginia jury has told C.R. Bard, the maker of the Bard Avaulta line of vaginal mesh products, that the company is liable for injuries sustained by a woman who had an Avaulta mesh device implant and ordered Bard to pay her $2 million in damages.
In an earlier blog, the vaginal mesh injury attorneys at Farah & Farah in Jacksonville reported that the original federal bellwether trial had been halted because a mistrial had been declared by the presiding judge.
This trial was a continuation of that case.
The jury awarded the plaintiff, a public-health nurse from Georgia, $250,000 in compensatory damages and $1.75 million in punitive damages. The plaintiff’s attorneys claimed that Bard knew that its product was defective, but put profits ahead of safety when it decided to market the Avaulta mesh device. The woman underwent several surgeries to remove her vaginal mesh implant after she began suffering bladder spasms, pain, and bleeding.
One of the plaintiff’s attorneys said that the message the jury sent Bard is that the company “needs to change its ways” and that “this kind of conduct won’t be tolerated.”
Bard officials claimed that the woman’s injuries were not caused by the vaginal implant and that the company had “complied with industry standards.” Bard plans to appeal the jury’s decision. Currently, the company faces over 8,000 other claims that its mesh devices caused injuries. Several other companies that manufacture mesh devices also face thousands of similar claims.
If you believe you have suffered injuries due to a vaginal mesh device, you need to talk to the vaginal mesh injury attorneys at Farah & Farah to learn what your legal options are. You may be entitled to compensation for pain and suffering, medical bills, and other damages. Call us at (800) 533-3555 or contact Farah & Farah online to discuss your case.
