While Facing Transvaginal Mesh Lawsuits, Johnson & Johnson Deleted Important Files
A US magistrate judge ruled earlier this month that Ethicon, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson that is facing a barrage of lawsuits for its flawed transvaginal mesh implants, had carelessly lost or outright erased thousands of papers that contained important information concerning how these implants were made.
The ruling said that certain information was missing from as far back as 2007. These deleted files had information on the defective mesh implants Gynecare Prolift and TVT Retropubic sling.
Ethicon offered no defense to the ruling, and in fact said that the manner in which they stored information “failed miserably in certain instances.” So while there is no argument over the fact that important data was tampered with through negligence, what still has to be decided is whether or not the 12,000 or so pending lawsuits will include the information that key papers are missing. This decision could end up affecting the results of these cases.
Some of the transvaginal mesh lawsuits against Ethicon have been settled already, with plaintiffs getting millions of dollars in compensation. Johnson & Johnson has been accused that their defective products were severely injuring women, inflicting such complications as urinary problems, pelvic pain, and infections. The lawsuits contend that the company was aware of these defects and yet went on selling these dangerously flawed implants.
Unfortunately, these are not the only defective transvaginal mesh products from Johnson & Johnson that have led to serious injuries, and this company is also not the only manufacturer to have produced such dangerous transvaginal mesh products.
For instance, January of 2012, 35 manufacturers of these mesh implants received letters from the FDA, telling them to review the safety of their products. Numerous companies have faced individual and class action lawsuits over their vaginal mesh products.
If you have suffered from a defective transvaginal mesh implant, you can find out about your rights to compensation when you schedule your free and confidential consultation with a female lawyer from our firm.
At the Whitley Law Firm, a Raleigh personal injury attorney has the dedication and skill to fight for our deserving clients so that they can receive the full compensation that they are owed. Contact our firm today to learn how we can help you!