Pelvic mesh blamed for woman's alleged deformities

A Jasper County woman has filed a lawsuit claiming the pelvic mesh used to treat her stress urinary incontinence caused deformities.

Ruby Bradley filed suit against Ethicon Inc., Ethicon LLC, Johnson & Johnson American Medical Systems Inc., C.R. Bard Inc., SoFradim Production Sas, Boston Scientific Corp., Coloplast Corp., Mentor Worldwide and Cook Medical Inc. on July 11 in the Eastern District of Texas, Beaumont Division. Lawrence G. Bradley Jr. is also a plaintiff in the suit.

Pelvic mesh is used to treat primarily pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence. According to the suit, Bradley had the pelvic mesh implanted to treat these medical problems and claims, as a result, she has experienced deformity and will have to undergo numerous surgeries.

The suit states that problems with pelvic mesh products include mesh erosion, mesh contraction, infection, fistula, inflammation, scar tissue, organ perforation, dyspareunia, blood loss, neuropathic and other acute and chronic nerve damage and pain, pudendal nerve damage, pelvic floor damage, pelvic pain, urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence and prolapse of organs.

The defendants are accused of negligence, strict liability, design defect, manufacturing defect and failure to warn.

The lawsuit is seeking an award of damages for medical expenses, lost earnings and earning capacity, physical impairment, disfigurement, physical pain and suffering, treble damages, attorney’s fees, punitive damages, loss of consortium, interest and court costs.

The plaintiffs are represented by Christopher T. Kirchmer of Provost Umphrey Law Firm in Beaumont. A jury trial is requested.

U.S. District Judge Ron Clark is assigned to the case.

Case No.1:13-cv-00449