Do You Qualify for a Hernia Mesh Claim?
The safety of surgical mesh used to repair hernias is the central issue in hundreds of lawsuits against various manufacturers of the medical device. Ethicon, Covidien, Bard, and Atrium Medical have been accused of making dangerous, defective mesh, which has resulted in injuries to patients.
A Hernia occurs when a piece of internal tissue pushes through an opening in the surrounding area because there is a hole or weak spot. Surgical mesh is used to provide support to the vulnerable area or plug the hole to keep the tissue where it belongs.
Plaintiffs in these lawsuits allege that the mesh fails to work as intended, migrates to other parts of the body, fails to incorporate into the body, or frays/clumps. Injuries alleged to have resulted: pain, infection, recurrence of hernias, adhesions, intestinal obstruction, bleeding, fistulas, fluid, perforation of organs, and more. Some plaintiffs required additional surgeries. Others were unable to have the injuries fixed because of other medical issues.
If you had a hernia treated with surgery, ask yourself some initial questions:
- Did my doctor use hernia mesh?
- Did the hernia mesh fix the problem?
- Did the hernia mesh cause complications?
- Did you get a severe infection after receiving a hernia mesh implant?
- Did you require additional surgery to remove hernia mesh?
If the answer to any of these is yes, you should think about whether you have a legal claim against the manufacturer of the dangerous device. If so, you might be able to collect compensation for your injuries, pain, and suffering.
What to do if You Think You Might Have a Hernia Mesh Lawsuit
The National Law Review published an article on July 2019 to help individuals begin the process of analyzing whether or not they have a claim against the maker of hernia mesh. Consider the following steps you can take to see if you have a potential hernia mesh lawsuit.
Get Your Medical Records
To know if you have a hernia mesh claim you must know what type of mesh was used in your surgery. All medical devices and implants come with precise information. Your operative report must have a record of the exact make, model, and manufacturer of the medical device implanted in your body. There is often a sticker containing all of this information that comes with the equipment and gets transferred directly onto your operative report.
Identify the Mesh Used by Your Surgeon
Most of the hernia mesh involved in the current litigation is synthetic. It is made from polypropylene. It might be coated with fish oil. Some synthetic mesh is “not that bad.” Others have been pulled from the market because they perform poorly. It is essential to understand the nature of your mesh so you can determine whether it is one that is involved in the litigation.
Do You Need Revision Surgery?
If you have identified that your hernia mesh is one of the types of meshes involved in national litigation, consider your injuries. You have to have injuries to collect damages. Did your doctor have to go back in to fix a problem? Did you have another hernia that required surgery? Did you have to have the mesh removed or replaced? Did the doctor have to go into another area of your body to repair damage caused by the mesh? These types of procedures are called revision surgeries and can help demonstrate that you suffered injuries from defective hernia mesh.
Call an Experienced Hernia Mesh Lawyer
If you think you have identified your mesh as defective and you have had or think you will need revision surgery or other medical treatment, don’t wait to speak to a lawyer. Lawyers with experience handling hernia mesh cases can help you pursue legal remedies. If you are unsure whether or not you have a claim, present your information to a lawyer who handles hernia mesh cases and can determine if you qualify for a lawsuit.
Contact Us
Alonso Krangle, LLP can give you the help you need if you think defective hernia mesh caused you to suffer severe injuries and complications. Call our office now for a free evaluation of your hernia mesh lawsuit. You can reach our hernia mesh lawyers at 800-403-6191.