Open Letter to Judge Goodwin

Judge Goodwin

Editors Note* Judge Jospeh Goodwin is overseeing more than 70,000 transvaginal mesh cases consolidated in his federal court in West Virginia. That occurred three years ago and mesh settlements either are slow in coming or nonexistent. This MND readers writes an open letter to Judge Goodwin to help her. Please chime in if you feel the same way. We will bring this article to Judge Goodwin's attention. Thank you.

Dear Judge Goodwin-

I’m writing this a day before I have to put my dog down. She’s been my constant companion for 14 years and that, along with my mesh pain and the lag in any settlement talks has me looking for strength to continue.

I feel as though no one is listening. American Medical Systems, my mesh manufacturer, is taking its sweet time to issue a decent settlement to thousands of us. Many of us are out of time. I simply cannot wait another two years for AMS to decide to give us whatever amount they choose. My brain is gone, I’m not healing, I am depressed, angry and frustrated. My husband and I live paycheck to paycheck.

At the very least AMS should be offering us lost wages for our suffering. I had to stop working because the OxyContin no longer allowed me to function. Even my doctor said stop working. An auto accident victim receives lost wages, which for me, I calculated to be about $500,000. I’m not being greedy, I just want my wages back.

I need physical therapy and another removal surgery. Without any settlement monies, I cannot afford it.

Judge Goodwin, if AMS and the others will not offer settlements approximating what they have taken away, send these claims back to the states to be tried. Let’s move things along. We know they are not serious because they are not even talking to individual attorneys about us, their clients. How can the companies know what we have lost if they don’t ask? Are they just giving a ballpark number? That is not acceptable!

My little dog was like my child. She gave me the strength to carry on. Now I have to say goodbye to her too along with so much of my life I have lost.

Judge Goodwin, Can you help us? Please. To wait just adds insult to injury and many of us cannot endure this travesty any longer. I cry every day and I so sick of all of this. Please keep me in your prayers along with all the other women. I just wonder how many have to die or think about it before someone listens.

I have no hope and strength left. I’m just waiting to die without a decent settlement soon.

God Bless,

Anonymous woman