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Pennsylvania Hernia Mesh Attorneys

Hernia Mesh

IF YOU SUFFERED A HERNIA AND WERE TOLD YOU NEEDED HERNIA MESH SURGERY TO REPAIR YOUR INJURY, YOU LIKELY FOLLOWED THE DOCTOR’S ORDERS, JUST LIKE ANYONE WOULD. NOW, YOU MIGHT BE FRUSTRATED BY THE MANY COMPLICATIONS THE MESH HAS CAUSED YOU, BUT YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT YOU DON’T NEED TO ACCEPT THAT OUTCOME.

hernia mesh attorneyAt Rieders, Travis, Dohrmann, Mowrey, Humphrey & Waters, we are meeting with clients that have suffered hernia mesh complications, so we can hold negligent manufacturers accountable for the harm they’ve caused countless patients.

Call us today at (570) 323-8711 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation with our Pennsylvania hernia mesh attorneys.

How Hernia Mesh is Harming Patients

Hernia mesh can be very useful for certain patients, provided that the mesh being used is safe and is used only when necessary. Unfortunately, certain types of hernia mesh are more prone to failure than others, and some patients who would be better served by other treatments are instead subjected to hernia mesh surgery.

Patients can experience several adverse effects from the use of hernia mesh. While we’ll look at common complications below, some of the most common consequences are intense pain, infections and a failure of the device to prevent hernia recurrence. This presents a painful, costly problem for hernia mesh patients. In some cases, complications posed by hernia mesh can be life-threatening.

Defective hernia mesh can result in hospitalization, several additional medical procedures, colostomies, partial bowel removal, dental infections and tooth decay.

Examples of Complications Stemming from Hernia Mesh

The Food and Drug Administration has said that some of the most common adverse events involving hernia mesh surgeries are:

  • Pain
  • Infection
  • Hernia recurrence
  • Adhesion
  • Bowel obstruction
  • Perforation
  • Scar tissue
  • Mesh migration
  • Mesh shrinkage.

Other potential complications include nausea, renal failure, fever, rashes, sexual problems, dental complications and autoimmune disorders. In many cases, patients suffering from complications might require revision surgery to address the failings of the device.

Damages in Hernia Mesh Claims

Many lawsuits have been filed against the manufacturers and distributors of hernia mesh devices, including C.R. Bard, Ethicon (a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson), Atrium Medical, Medtronic, and Covidien. The injured people who are filing these lawsuits understandably believe that these companies failed to alert doctors and patients of the potential dangers associated with hernia mesh. Many of these cases deal not only with warnings or allegations that the FDA was not properly given the information by the manufacturers during the certification process, but they may also proceed under state products liability theory.

When these devices fail or cause problems, the consequences for patients can be painful and costly. Through legal action, a patient can seek payment for:

  • Past, present and future medical expenses, such as costs for rehabilitation, therapy, and corrective surgeries
  • Time spent away from work, lost wages and earnings and potential future earnings
  • Funeral costs (if complications prove fatal)
  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress and trauma
  • Disfigurement
  • Loss of consortium, companionship and loss of life’s pleasures prior to death (if applicable).

If you want to know more about potential hernia mesh lawsuit settlement amounts, we encourage you to contact Rieders, Travis, Dohrmann, Mowrey, Humphrey & Waters by calling us at (570) 323-8711 or filling out our online contact form.

Understanding Hernia Mesh

A hernia occurs when an organ, intestine or fatty tissue pushes through a tear or hole in a muscle or tissue. Hernias are most common in the abdomen. It is a painful condition, and it is common. More than a million hernia repairs happen in the U.S. every year. One of the most popular treatments for a hernia is the use of hernia mesh.
Hernia mesh is used to support tissue that has been damaged or weakened. Mesh is a medical device that has long been used to reinforce the herniated region. Hernia mesh is typically made of animal tissue or synthetic material. There are many varieties of mesh, including knitted or non-knitted and absorbable, non-absorbable or a combination of absorbable and non-absorbable materials. Depending on the materials used and the needs of the patient, mesh can be intended for temporary or permanent use.

Systemic Problems Have Led to Patients’ Suffering – But Manufacturers are Ultimately Responsible

Many medical devices, including several varieties of hernia mesh, are regularly put on the market without thorough testing. Medical device manufacturers have loopholes through which they can fast-track their products. Manufacturers often use the FDA 510(k) process to fast-track device approval. In the 510(k) process, manufacturers aren’t required to show that a device is safe for use, but only that the product is similar to other devices already approved by the FDA.

If the system worked as it should, all devices would be thoroughly inspected and reviewed. However, as too many patient safety advocates have observed, the FDA lacks the resources to do this. Even when the FDA is alerted to adverse events related to medical devices, their response is often slow and ineffective. Some dangerous hernia mesh devices have been recalled, but many more potentially dangerous mesh devices remain on the market and continue to be used to treat hernias.

The FDA has given the green light to many types of hernia mesh that are clearly causing patients harm; and though there are several serious problems with our current approval system, it is the manufacturers who are ultimately selling these products and encouraging their use without disclosing risks.

Hernia mesh manufacturers should pay the price for the harm their faulty products have caused patients. Through legal action, patients can demand compensation for the many costs they are facing. If you want to learn more about your legal options, call Rieders, Travis, Dohrmann, Mowrey, Humphrey & Waters at (570) 323-8711 or fill out our online contact form to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation.

How Much are Hernia Mesh Settlements and Verdicts?

The amount given to patients injured by hernia mesh manufacturers varies, depending on the damages faced by each patient. Settlement or verdict amounts could range from tens of thousands to millions of dollars. If you want to learn more about how much you should demand in payment from hernia mesh manufacturers, we encourage you to contact our hernia mesh lawyers to schedule a free case evaluation.

We will factor in all recoverable damages to ensure you get the payment you deserve. Our attorneys will look at the type of mesh used in your surgery, the amount of medical bills you have faced and the ways in which complications have impacted your life. We know how important your case is for you and your loved ones, and we have a track record to prove that we get results in medical device lawsuits.

How Hernia Mesh Lawsuits are Handled

How your case is handled will depend on several factors. One of the biggest factors is the type of mesh used in your surgery and ongoing lawsuits surrounding that product. If you have suffered injuries from a product that has also caused harm to other plaintiffs, you can be part of a consolidated legal action against that product’s manufacturer. In general, large medical device manufacturers are more responsive to legal action when it is filed by several parties and involves substantial sums of money. Sometimes it is better to go it alone, and every case is different in this respect.  Sometimes we will start out in the multidistrict litigation and then try the client’s case individually.

Some plaintiffs file cases in coordination with a larger group of plaintiffs in a process known as multidistrict litigation. Consolidated litigation is largely considered good for injured people because it allows legal representatives of several plaintiffs to better coordinate their efforts while still pursuing damages that reflect each individual patient’s needs. This process is different from class action lawsuits, in which several plaintiffs’ lawsuits are combined into one legal action. By contrast, multidistrict litigation simply allows plaintiffs’ attorneys to coordinate discovery and other pre-trial processes.

In some cases, a plaintiff might file a lawsuit against a hernia mesh manufacturer that is not part of a larger group of lawsuits. Your needs will be unique to your circumstances, and it is best to consult an experienced hernia mesh attorney to find out how to proceed with your claim.

We want to meet with you to determine the course of action that best suits your needs. Call (570) 323-8711 or fill out our contact form to schedule your free consultation with the Pennsylvania hernia mesh attorneys at Rieders, Travis, Dohrmann, Mowrey, Humphrey & Waters.

Who is at Fault for Injuries Caused by Hernia Mesh?

In the majority of cases involving patients injured by hernia mesh, the manufacturers are being held responsible for the harm their products have caused. The reason manufacturers are being named in these lawsuits is that the harm was caused by the defectiveness of the hernia mesh. In many cases, doctors and surgeons weren’t made aware of these possible complications.

When a manufacturer makes faulty or dangerous products, they should be held accountable for their negligence. That’s why these cases are important for patients who have suffered serious medical complications from hernia mesh and for any future patients that might be treated with hernia mesh products. These claims are about fairness and accountability for those who have been harmed and preventing future problems for patients that might have similar experiences.

If you’ve suffered serious complications from faulty hernia mesh, you should be given the payment you deserve. Rieders, Travis, Dohrmann, Mowrey, Humphrey & Waters wants to help.

Why You Should Contact Us

The skilled and experienced medical malpractice and defective medical device attorney Clifford A. Rieders of Rieders, Travis, Dohrmann, Mowrey, Humphrey & Waters has spent decades honing his skills and successfully representing Pennsylvania families who have suffered an injury or loss due to someone else’s negligence. We offer personal attention and loyalty to every client, aggressively fighting for their right to compensation. Whether in settlement negotiations or pursuing a favorable trial verdict, we are thoroughly prepared and committed to achieving a just outcome.  With our experienced staff, we offer strength in numbers while providing top-notch personal service.

WE HAVE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE DEALING WITH THE HARM THAT RESULTS FROM DEFECTIVE MEDICAL DEVICES. AS A RESULT, WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN SECURING SUBSTANTIAL RECOVERIES FOR LEGITIMATE CLAIMS.

If you or your loved one has suffered harm from a defective medical device, your next step should be to consult Cliff Rieders at the Rieders Travis Law firm by calling (570) 323-8711 or by using our online contact form. Based in Williamsport, we serve clients throughout the state of Pennsylvania, offering a free consultation on all personal injury matters. More than that, we offer you experience, knowledge, compassion, and a long history of results.

Attorney Cliff Rieders

Attorney Cliff RiedersCliff Rieders is a Nationally Board Certified Trial Lawyer practicing personal injury law. A large part of his practice involves multi-district litigation, including cases related to pharmaceuticals, vitamin supplements and medical devices. He is admitted in several state and federal courts, as well as the Supreme Court of the United States. Rieders is the past regional president of the Federal Bar Association and is a life member of the distinguished American Law Institute, which promulgates proposed rules adopted by many state courts. He is a past president of the Pennsylvania Association for Justice, formerly Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association. As a founder of the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority, he served on the Board for 15 years.

Not only has Rieders held many highly esteemed, leadership positions, he authored legislation related to the Patient Safety Authority and the Mcare Act, which governs medical and hospital liability actions in Pennsylvania. He authored texts upon which both practitioners and judges rely, including Pennsylvania Malpractice Laws and Forms, and Financial Responsibility Law Issues in Pennsylvania, the latter governing auto and truck collisions in Pennsylvania. In addition, he wrote several books on the practice of law in Pennsylvania regarding wrongful death and survivor actions, insurance bad faith, legal malpractice claims and worker rights, among others. Rieders also serves as a resource to practitioners as a regular speaker for Celesq, an arm of the world’s largest legal publisher, Thomson Reuters West Publishing.

As recognition of his wide range of contribution to his profession and of his dedication to protecting the rights of his clients, he received numerous awards, among them the George F. Douglas Amicus Curiae Award, the Milton D. Rosenberg Award, the B’nai B’rith Justice Award, and awards of recognition from the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers. [ Attorney Bio ]