You have probably heard about the hernia mesh lawsuits, and you're definitely here to find out more or at least get some explanations to the questions running through your mind. Well, you have certainly come to the right place.

The hernia mesh lawsuits claim that the manufacturers designed defective products and failed to adequately warn the medical practitioners of the severe side effects and complications associated with using these devices. Thousands of victims have already filed lawsuits citing device failure and adverse complications they were not aware of.

What exactly is the deal with the hernia mesh lawsuits?

Hernias are a prevalent condition that can occur in just about any type of person. In very simple terms, a hernia is a piece of tissue which tends to push against an opening in the flesh that is meant to contain it.  For instance, hernias mainly occur at the belly button, inner groin, outer groin or thigh, upper stomach or diaphragm, or an incision site. This is a piece of tissue pushing its way out through the flesh, and as you might imagine, it’s very painful.

For that reason, hernias have to be rectified to save the patient from a lot of pain and suffering. Among the main treatments for this condition is a surgery that involves putting in place a hernia mesh. While there are many causes of hernia, the primary one seems to be the weakening in some specific parts of the body, such as the muscles.

A hernia mesh is a tiny piece of netting used to provide additional support to a weakened area. The hernia mesh can either be a synthetic one or actual tissue derived from humans, cows, or pigs. 

There are three main manufacturers involved in the hernia mesh lawsuits, namely Ethicon, C.R Bard, and Atrium. As mentioned earlier, there are essentially two types of mesh devices used in hernia treatment. Out of the two, the synthetic hernia mesh faces the most publicity and controversy.

Many people have come forward, claiming different hernia mesh types were defective and failed to function as expected. Instead, these devices caused severe harm and injuries in their bodies to the extent some people were forced to have additional surgeries to rectify the issues.

The hernia mesh lawsuits have been streaming in steadily since the mid-2010's

The US Food and Drugs Administration had to recall a number of the hernia mesh products following reports form the patients who had suffered adverse complications. The manufacturers whose devices were found to be defective had to withdraw some of their products from the market.

As of July 2020, there were about 8, 739 lawsuits filed against Ethicon, Bard Davol, and Atrium in different parts of the country.  The victims are seeking compensation for the medical bills incurred as well as lost wages. With that said, all of the hernia mesh lawsuits are currently consolidated into three separate multidistrict litigations (MDLs).  Each MDL basically involves a different hernia mesh manufacturer. Furthermore, all the cases are still pending, and none of them has gone to trial just yet.

There are other manufacturers who are also named in the hernia mesh lawsuits. Covidien is the manufacturer of the Parietex mesh. The lawsuits against this company are currently not included in the MDLs. However, people are allowed to file individual lawsuits in the various state courts across the country.