Transvaginal Mesh Trials so Far: Winners and Losers

Mesh Medical Device News Desk, November 3, 2016, Updated May 6, 2019 ~ As the number of pelvic mesh cases increases, so do the wins for plaintiffs. Once juries listen to the evidence, they appear to be overwhelmingly convinced of the defendants guilt and are attaching huge punitive damage awards to the compensatory verdicts.
At some point, one would think that shareholders or accountants or the board of directors would say "enough" but that has not happened to date.

Quietly, however, some manufacturers are settling their inventory of cases presented by individual law firms. These are not for public disclosure and the plaintiff agrees to a nondisclosure agreement when he/she receives the settlement. Additionally, the corporate defendant admits no guilt.

It’s fair to say that the majority of juries listen to the evidence from both sides and overwhelmingly decided not only that the woman deserved compensation for her medical bills and her pain and suffering, but that the manufacturer should be punished for its actions in the form of punitive damages.

Here are the Transvaginal Mesh Cases so far:

1. 7/12: $5.5 million – Christine Scott – C.R. Bard Avaulta Plus – Bakersfield, CA
2. 2/13: $11.11 million – Linda Gross – Ethicon/JJ (Prolift) – Atlantic City, NJ
3. 8/13: $2 million – Donna Cisson – C.R. Bard (Avaulta) – MDL WV
4. 8/13: Settled - Queen v. C.R. Bard – (Avaulta Solo) - MDL, WV
5. 2/14: $0 – Carolyn Lewis – Ethicon/JJ (TVT-O) – MDL WV
6. 4/14: $1.2 million – Linda Batiste – Ethicon/JJ (TVT-O) – Dallas, TX
7. 5/14: Settled C. Schubert v Ethicon, (Prolift) MO
8. 5/14: Settled – S Wilkins Gynecare (TVT Secur) -MO
9. 7/14: $0 – Diane Albright – Boston Scientific (Pinnacle )– Middlesex Co. MA, will win new trial
10. 8/14: $0 – Maria Cardenas – Boston Scientific (Obtryx) – Middlesex Co., MA
11. 9/14: $3.27 million – Jo Huskey – Ethicon/JJ TVT-O – MDL WV
12. 9/14: $73.465 million – Martha Salazar – Boston Scientific (Obtryx) – Dallas, TX
13. 11/14: $6.7+ million – Amal Eghnayem – Boston Scientific (Pinnacle) – MDL, Miami FL
14. 11/14: $6.7+ million – Margarita Dotres – Boston Scientific (Pinnacle) – MDL, Miami FL
15. 11/14: $6.7+ million – Mania Nunez – Boston Scientific (Pinnacle)– MDL , Miami FL
16. 11/14: $6.5+ million – Juana Betancourt – Boston Scientific (Pinnacle) – MDL Miami FL
17. 11/14: $5.25 million – Jeanie Blankenship – Boston Scientific(Obtryx) – MDL WV
18. 11/14: $4.75 million – Chris Wilson – Boston Scientific (Obtryx) – MDL WV
19. 11/14: $4.25 million – Carol Campbell – Boston Scientific (Obtryx)– MDL WV
20. 11/14: $4.25 million – Jacquelyn Tyree – Boston Scientific (Obtryx) – MDL WV
21. 1/15: Settled – Joan Budke, Ethicon (Prolift) wrongful death - Lake of the Ozarks, MO
22. 2/15: Settled – Wise v. Bard in the MDL
23. 3/15: Settled – Bellew v. Ethicon (Prolift) - MDL
24. 5/15: Settled – Sanchez v. Boston Scientific (Pinnacle) – CA
25. 3/15: $5.7 million – Coleen Perry – Ethicon/JJ (Abbrevo sling) – Bakersfield, CA
26. 5/15: $100 million – Deborah Barba v. Boston Scientific (Pinnacle Pelvic Floor Repair & Advantage Fit) – Delaware
27. 9/15: Settled, Wicker v. Ethicon, (Prolift Anterior) - MDL New Jersey
28. 10/15: $0 – Carol Cavness v. Ethicon/JJ (Prosima) – Dallas, TX
29.10/15: $0 – Martha Carlson v. Boston Scientific (Uphold) – Statesville, NC
30. 12/15: $12.5 million – Hammons v. Ethicon/JJ (Prolift) – Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas
31. 2/16: $0 – Sherrer v. Boston Scientific (Solyx) and C.R.Bard (Align) – Kansas City, M
32. 2/16: $13.5 – Carlino v. Ethicon/JJ (TVT) – Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas
33. 2/16: $4.4 million – Taylor V Mentor OB Tape (TVT-O Sling) - GA
34. 9/16: Settled - Figueroa v Boston Scientific (Solyx SIS System) - Dallas
35. 4/17: $20 million- Engleman v Gynecare, (TVT-S) – Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas
36. 5/17: $2.16 million – Beltz v. Ethicon, (Prolift) – Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas
37. 6/17: $0 – Atkins v. Ethicon, (TVT-Secur) – Philadelphia court of Common Pleas, August a new hearing on damages was ordered by the judge.
38. 9/17: $57 million – Ebaugh v. Ethicon, (TVT, TVT-Secur) – Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas ($50 million punitive)
39. 12/17: $15 million – Hrymoc v Ethicon ( TVT-O and Prolift) – New Jersey Superior Court, Bergen Co. (included $10 mil in punitive, $1 million loss consortium)
40. 3/18: $35 million- Kaiser v Ethicon (Prolift) – Hammond Indiana, North District federal court (includes $25 million in punitive damages)
41. 4/12/18: $68 million- McGinnis v. CR Bard ( Avaulta and Align), Bergen Co Superior Court, NJ, (Compensatory $33 mill with next day $35 million in punitive damages added)
42. 6/15/18: $0 - Martinez v Boston Scientific ( Pinnacle and Obtryx), Superior Court MA, Woburn (BSC win)
43. 9/24/18: Mistrial, McFarland v. Ethicon ( TVT-O), Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Pl filed for a new trial
44. 1/31/19: $41 million, Emmet v Ethicon (TVT-O, Prolift, Gynemesh), Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas (includes $15 million in punitives)
45. 4/17/19: $0, Malgorzata Krolikowski (TVT-Secur) Jury did find negligent design, marketing and selling the device
46. 4/24/19: $120 million, Susan McFarland (TVT-O), Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas (includes $100 million in punitives)
47. 5/17/19: $80 million - Patricia Mesigian (Prolift), Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, (includes $50 million in punitives), appealed
48. 6/28/19: $500,000 - Linda Dunfee (Prolift), Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, (no punitives, defective design and manu), appealed

These are the cases your editor is aware of. While we follow the trials in the U.S. closely, it is impossible to know how many cases have quietly settled or were never set for trial and are instead being settled. ###