Covidien Hernia Mesh Lawsuit Payout of $88M Awarded in First MDL Bellwether Trial

A federal jury returned an $88 million verdict against Medtronic and its Covidien subsidiary in the first bellwether trial involving the company's Symbotex hernia mesh product. The case involved plaintiff Larry Patterson and his wife, who alleged that the mesh implant adhered to Patterson's bowel, causing obstruction, recurrent hernia, and the need for additional surgery.

Symbotex is a composite hernia repair mesh consisting of a permanent polyester textile covered by an absorbable collagen barrier derived from porcine tissue. The collagen coating is designed to prevent the mesh from attaching to internal organs during the healing process. According to the lawsuits, however, the protective coating degrades too quickly, exposing the polyester mesh before tissue adequately covers the implant and creating a risk that the mesh will adhere to bowel and other internal structures.

The jury found that Covidien failed to adequately warn patients and physicians about these risks. The trial lasted three weeks and served as a bellwether case designed to assess how juries might respond to evidence and arguments that will likely be presented in thousands of similar claims. More than 2,400 Covidien hernia mesh lawsuits are currently pending in the federal court system.

This is a curated brief from the PlaintiffWire news desk. Read the original report at AboutLawsuits.