Medical product manufacturer Johnson and Johnson is facing a slew of lawsuits in New Jersey, one of which recently resulted in an award of over $10 million in damages. A New Jersey jury awarded a woman $7.8 million in punitive damages and $3.35 million in compensatory damages for the injuries she suffered as a result of a defective vaginal mesh implant. Her product liability claim included allegations that she had to endure 18 surgeries to try and alleviate the pain that came as a result of the defective product.
The woman missed numerous days from work as a result of the pain from which she was suffering. As a result of her regular absence, she was terminated from her position. Johnson and Johnson has stated that they intend to appeal the judgment.
The company began selling the mesh in 2005 but stopped its production in 2012 when numerous lawsuits began to surface. In New Jersey alone, there are 1,800 pending lawsuits. This case is only the second that has been tried. The other trial also resulted in a jury finding for the plaintiff.
Product liability cases are not uncommon in New Jersey, as evidenced by the recent litigation involving Johnson and Johnson. Companies can be held accountable for their inability to properly monitor the production and distribution of their products, particularly if an individual suffers injuries due to a defective product being sold to them. Those who have been injured due to a potentially dangerous product would likely benefit from investigating their rights under state and federal law.
Source: philly.com, “A bad day for vaginal mesh implants,” David Sell, March 1, 2013
