When a patient who received a hernia mesh implant suffers complications and injuries after the surgery, filing a lawsuit against the manufacturer is a viable option to recover damages. Hernia mesh is a surgical product that is used in about 90% of all hernia repairs. The mesh, which can be either synthetic (threads made of plastic) or actual tissue (from humans or animals), is used to stabilize abdominal tissues during hernia repair surgery.

According to the University of California San Francisco’s Department of Surgery, there are about 800,000 hernia repair surgeries each year across the U.S. Thousands of these patients end up with serious complications and side effects caused by defective hernia mesh. If this happened to you, talk to a Kentucky injury lawyer at Roberts Law Office to seek compensation for damages caused by:

  • A manufacturing defect in the mesh device;
  • A design defect in the mesh; or
  • The manufacturer’s failure to adequately warn of known and foreseeable risks.

Causes of Hernia

There are different causes of hernias. More often than not, hernias are developed as a result of:

  • The weakness of muscle or connective tissue in certain parts of the body
  • Overexertion (lifting heavy things)
  • Obesity
  • Diarrhea or constipation
  • Bad lifestyle (smoking and poor nutrition)
  • Persistent coughing or sneezing

All of these factors contribute to the development of hernias.

Types of Hernias

According to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, the most common types of hernias occur in the:

  • Inner groin (Inguinal)
  • Belly button (Umbilical)
  • Upper thigh or outer groin (Femoral)
  • Upper stomach or diaphragm (Hiatal)
  • General abdomen or ventral wall (Ventral)
  • Incision or scar in the abdomen (Incisional)

A hernia does not “heal” on its own, which is why surgery involving hernia mesh is often the only available treatment option. These surgeries can be either open (involving a large incision) or laparoscopic (involving small incisions by poking surgical tools).

Manufacturers Sued in Hernia Mesh Lawsuits

Currently, there are thousands – some say hundreds of thousands – of lawsuits pending against multiple manufacturers in Kentucky and across the U.S. Most of these lawsuits are part of federal multi-district litigation and most of them involve synthetic hernia mesh. Lawsuits have been filed against the following manufacturers of defective hernia mesh implants:

  • Ethicon
  • Covidien
  • C.R. Bard
  • Gore Medical
  • Genzyme Corporation
  • Atrium Medical Corporation

Types of Hernia Mesh Defects

Lawsuits include claims that different types of hernia mesh devices and implants were defective or that the manufacturer did not give adequate warning of known or foreseeable side effects and complications. Most of these lawsuits are based on different types of mesh defects, including:

  • Malfunctioning
  • Failing
  • Migrating
  • Balling up
  • Not incorporating into the body

When a surgical error contributes to complications or injuries, the lawsuit is based on the theory of medical malpractice.

Hernia Mesh Injuries

According to the Consumer Safety Guide, the following complications are associated with defective hernia mesh products:

  • Abdominal infection
  • Severe pain
  • Mesh migration
  • Tissue erosion
  • Bowel adhesion
  • Bowel obstruction
  • Intestinal or organ perforation
  • Hernia recurrence

These injuries require affected patients to undergo another surgery or multiple surgeries to fix the defective mesh in what is known as revision surgery. Some of the claimants are not able to get a revision surgery due to medical conditions. Speak to Kentucky personal injury lawyers to estimate the extent of your mesh-related injury and calculate your medical expenses, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, pain and suffering, and other damages.

Can You File a Hernia Mesh Lawsuit in Kentucky?

To qualify for one of the class-action hernia mesh lawsuits filed against Ethicon, Covidien, C.R. Bard, Gore Medical, Genzyme Corporation, or Atrium Medical Corporation, you first have to have undergone or told that you need revision surgery to fix a hernia mesh defect. Our Kentucky lawyer at Roberts Law Office can help you obtain medical records from your surgery, gather evidence to prove the defect, and calculate how much your product liability claim is worth. Call at (859) 231-0202 or complete our contact form for a free consultation.