Ethicon Hernia Mesh Lawsuits

Johnson & Johnson pulled its Ethicon Physiomesh Flexible Composite hernia mesh from the market after two European registries found that patients who had the mesh implanted to repair hernias had a higher rate of side effects and additional surgeries when compared to other mesh products on the market.

The company had touted the product to its shareholders in 2010, stating that Physiomesh leveraged the company’s “trusted” polymer technology and was easy for surgeons to deploy and position. It was approved in April 2010 under FDA 510(k) clearance, which does not require FDA review or clinical trials before medical devices are placed on the market.

However, problems soon became apparent as higher numbers of patients who received the product were readmitted for additional hernia surgeries.

It is clear that the product was defective. Patients who received it during laparoscopic or open hernia surgery should continue to monitor their condition through normal follow-up with their physician. Those who suffered side effects such as pain, swelling and the need for additional surgeries should contact an attorney to learn about their legal rights and the potential for compensation.

Following the Physiomesh recall, numerous lawsuits have been filed throughout the country. We expect that these lawsuits will be consolidated into what is called a multidistrict litigation, which means that all of the federal cases are moved to a single court so that the litigation process can be streamlined. This consolidation will likely happen in 2017 as more cases are filed.

Our law firm represents people nationwide who have been harmed by defective hernia mesh. Because statutes of limitation may limit the time you have to file a lawsuit, we recommend that you contact an attorney to discuss the complications you experienced and your legal rights.

One of the most common questions we receive about hernia mesh lawsuits is, “How do I know what kind of mesh was used?”

The answer is that you probably don’t, unless your doctor told you or you are in possession of your medical records.

It’s OK if you don’t know. If you had to have an additional surgery following the implantation of hernia mesh or if you are suffering from pain, swelling or other side effects, please contact us. We will obtain and review your medical records. There are active lawsuits against the manufacturers of other hernia mesh products, so you may still be entitled to compensation even if Physiomesh wasn’t used during your surgery.

RPWB represents people throughout the country who were injured by defective mesh products, including hernia mesh. Patients and their doctors were not sufficiently warned of the risks, and those who suffered should be compensated.

Our firm is nationally recognized for representing individuals who have been harmed by prescription and non-prescription drugs as well as medical devices. We were named a 2017 Best Law Firm by U.S. News & World Report in the areas of products liability and personal injury litigation. We are a top-listed plaintiff product liability firm as rated by Best Lawyers in America.

RPWB attorneys have been appointed lead counsel in seven large multidistrict litigations and leadership positions in many more. Our team is sensitive to the wishes of our clients yet tenacious and experienced enough to secure the compensation our clients need and deserve.

Our firm has substantial national experience with products liability litigation against drug makers and medical device manufacturers. With respect to pharmaceutical litigation, RPWB attorneys have been appointed lead counsel of seven nationwide multidistrict litigations in recent years. We currently serve or have recently served on various National Plaintiffs’ Steering Committees for consolidated litigation involving: Baycol®, Chantix®, Lipitor®, Ortho Evra®, Phenylpropanolamine (PPA), Rezulin® and Zyprexa®.

RPWB attorneys were heavily involved in national litigation against several manufacturers of breast implants for selling defective products, including a prominent role in the MDL against Dow Corning that resulted in a $3.2 billion settlement for 400,000 women. We served on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee for a consolidated action involving the Norplant contraceptive system and worked the national multidistrict litigation against the manufacturers of hip and jaw implants.