On Tuesday, CVN will begin live coverage of the second bellwether suit against Boston Scientific and its pelvic mesh products in Massachusetts. Maria Cardenas v. Boston Scientific Corp.
Maria Cardenas claims a pelvic mesh device manufactured by Boston Scientific was defectively designed and ultimately injured her after it was surgically implanted. The suit is the state's second bellwether trial and one of more than 1,000 similar Massachusetts product liability cases against Boston Scientific and its pelvic mesh devices. Less than a month ago, the Massachusetts-based company won the state's first bellwether pelvic mesh trial over Boston Scientific's product. Albright v. Boston Scientific Corp. Nationwide, Boston Scientific and other manufacturers face nearly 50,000 suits, including about 25,000 centered in West Virginia as part of federal multidistrict litigation proceedings. The suits typically allege that the pelvic mesh products, inserted to treat pelvic prolapse and stress urinary incontinence, erode through the body's tissue, causing extreme pain and medical complications.
As Massachusetts's second bellwether pelvic mesh trial involving Boston Scientific, Cardenas is particularly significant as an indicator of whether verdicts in the state may trend in favor of the company and similar manufacturers. To date, plaintiffs have been more successful in other jurisdictions. In July, a New Jersey superior court judge upheld an $11.1 million verdict against pelvic mesh manufacturer Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. Linda Gross v. Ethicon. The jury in that New Jersey bellwether case, which CVN covered, found that Ethicon misrepresented its product to Linda Gross and failed to warn her physician of its risks. Additionally, a Texas jury in April awarded plaintiff Linda Batiste more than $1.2 million in her pelvic mesh suit against Ethicon.
CVN will broadcast live coverage of the Cardenas trial, which opened on Friday, when proceedings resume Tuesday at 9 a.m. On-demand video will be available shortly after the conclusion of each session.
Related Information
Watch live and on-demand video of Maria Cardenas v. Boston Scientific Corp.
Watch on-demand video of Linda Gross v. Ethicon.