Hernia Mesh Lawsuits: Q&A with Attorney Brett Vaughn
Thousands of people are suing hernia mesh manufacturers over defective products that cause complications like organ damage, adhesions (internal scar tissue), inflammatory responses and more.
In 2024, Becton Dickinson offered to settle 38,000 hernia mesh cases against its subsidiary, C.R. Bard. The exact terms of the hernia mesh settlement haven’t been revealed, but it’s estimated to be $1.7 billion.
Although this litigation has been ongoing for years, and there have been settlements and jury verdicts, lawyers are still accepting cases. Currently, hernia mesh makers Covidien and C.R. Bard face more than 26,000 hernia mesh lawsuits, consolidated in two large groups of cases called multidistrict litigations (MDLs).
In this Q&A, attorney Brett Vaughn, founding partner with the law firm Nigh Goldenberg Raso & Vaughn, discusses why people are suing hernia mesh manufacturers, what injuries people are suing for and what to expect if you file a hernia mesh lawsuit in 2025.
Q: What are the main reasons people are filing hernia mesh lawsuits?
Most hernia mesh devices are intended for permanent reinforcement of hernia defects and usually are made of polypropylene or polyester. Many suppliers of those raw materials have warned the medical device companies that those materials are not meant for implantation in the human body.
These devices fail in multiple ways, including defective design and inappropriate use of raw materials, leading to serious and sometimes life-threatening injuries. Many of these hernia mesh products also have a resorbable coating intended to protect sensitive organs. However, the resorbable coatings do not work as advertised, leading to organ damage.
Q: What injuries are people claiming in these lawsuits?
People suffer a wide range of injuries from defective hernia mesh products, including but not limited to recurrence, chronic pain, infection, sepsis, adhesions, loss of testicle(s), bowel obstruction, bowel resections and even death.
Q: Who are some of the companies involved in hernia mesh lawsuits?
Covidien/Medtronic, Bard/Davol, Ethicon/Johnson & Johnson, Gore, Atrium and LifeCell.
Q: What is the status of hernia mesh lawsuits in 2025?
While some of the litigations have already settled, people continue to get injured from hernia mesh, and new cases are being filed every day. Even though some manufacturers have settled claims, they continue to sell the same hernia mesh products.
Q: How have injuries from hernia mesh affected your clients’ lives?
Hernia mesh injuries can have serious impacts on people’s daily lives, making it difficult or impossible for them to care for their family, work, exercise or participate in many activities they normally would. This can lead to not only physical injury, but serious mental and/or financial strain as well.
Q: What kind of hernia mesh settlements and jury verdicts have come up in the litigation thus far?
Every case and every mesh device are different, and settlements have varied from one litigation to the next. Jury awards in trials where the plaintiff prevailed have had a broad range, from $250,000 to $4,800,000.
Q: What should people know if they are looking to file a hernia mesh claim in 2025?
It is important to contact an experienced hernia mesh attorney right away. While factors vary depending on the type of mesh used, the state(s) where implant and injury occurred, etc., every case has a statute of limitations by which it must be filed in order to move forward.
We also strongly encourage people who have experienced a hernia mesh injury to obtain copies of their medical records, including the “Implant Identification” records, to expedite review of their potential claims. But it is most important to contact an attorney as soon as possible.
