The attorneys at The Dunken Law Firm are currently accepting cases for transvaginal mesh injuries throughout Virginia, including:
If you or a loved one has suffered transvaginal mesh injuries from a stress urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse corrective procedure, you may have grounds for a product liability claim in Virginia. Contact The Dunken Law Firm today to schedule a free case consultation with one of our attorneys.
For decades, surgeons used surgical mesh in a variety of medical procedures. These products can help support damaged organs and tissues and preserve healthy tissue in ideal conditions. About 200,000 women undergo inpatient procedures for pelvic organ prolapse in the United States each year, and about 10% of those women will require surgery. Unfortunately, of those women who do undergo surgery, about 13% will develop complications from transvaginal mesh within five years of surgery. Another 30% will experience a prolapse later in life.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an FDA Safety Communication in 2011 regarding the dangers of transvaginal mesh for pelvic organ prolapse correction. Following this communication, the FDA investigated more than 30 manufacturers of surgical mesh and enacted stricter development and production requirements. This led to a majority of manufacturers ceasing production of surgical mesh. Today, only three of these surgical mesh products remain on the market for use in pelvic organ prolapse correction procedures.
Women who experience adverse effects from transvaginal mesh report a variety of symptoms:
When mesh erosion occurs, pieces of the transvaginal mesh can break off and migrate throughout the body, potentially damaging nearby internal organs and causing bleeding and infections. If adverse symptoms or reactions occur, revision surgery will be necessary. Transvaginal mesh carries a high risk of necessitating revision surgery in the future. During these procedures, attending surgeons will attempt to remove damaged mesh and repair affected tissues. Unfortunately, many women who undergo transvaginal mesh revision surgeries develop vaginal scarring that negatively impacts their quality of life for years.
Virginia law allows a two-year statute of limitations for product liability claims for personal injuries, starting on the date the injury occurred. However, the statute of limitations may not start until a woman notices adverse symptoms from transvaginal mesh injuries, or until a reasonable person would have noticed the same symptoms.
In a product liability lawsuit, the plaintiff’s attorney does not necessarily need to prove the defendant was negligent, only that the product in question is defective and the sole cause of the plaintiff’s claimed damages. Products may be defective by design, production, or marketing, and manufacturers are liable for damages resulting from defective products.
If you or a loved one suffered transvaginal mesh injuries, a product liability claim could be your best option for recovering the associated damages. A successful claim can yield compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering from a pelvic organ prolapse procedure or transvaginal mesh failure. Contact The Dunken Law Firm today to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation with one of our attorneys. Once we know the details of your situation, we can help review the types of compensation you could secure from a successful lawsuit.