Plaintiffs in close to 200 C.R. Bard Avaulta vaginal mesh lawsuits have asked the courts to consolidate several groups of these vaginal mesh cases before the same juries.

That’s because the cases allege similar injuries and side effects stemming from the C.R. Bard medical device. The majority of these Bard vaginal mesh lawsuits are expected to go to trial in 2015.

Plaintiffs have requested the court schedule nine consolidated vaginal mesh trials to take place in eight different U.S. District Courts in order to better serve plaintiffs and plaintiffs’ counsel.

The motion to consolidate the Bard vaginal mesh lawsuits states:

“Trying individual cases one-by-one that are triable in the same District Court which involve the same allegations of defect against the same product or substantially equivalent products is a waste of the limited resources of the parties and the judiciary, and imposes a nearly impossible burden on the plaintiffs, their counsel, and their experts.”

Additionally, the plaintiffs have already identified 31 vaginal mesh lawsuits that could be placed into several of these consolidated groupings, based on the court venue and the specific pelvic mesh brand.

Within several U.S. District Courts across the nation, there over 70,000 women who have filed vaginal mesh lawsuits against Bard and other vaginal mesh manufacturers, alleging they suffered personal injury from these mesh medical products used to surgically repair pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence in women.

Additionally, there are currently seven vaginal mesh multidistrict litigations (MDLs) established against various vaginal mesh manufacturers that have been centralized in the Southern District of West Virginia federal court. U.S . District Judge Joseph Goodwin is presiding over these consolidated vaginal mesh MDLs in order to avoid contradictory pretrial rulings as well as duplicate discovery, and ultimately to better serve the parties, witnesses, and courts involved in these vaginal mesh lawsuits.

Goodwin ordered that 200 cases mention previously litigating claims about the Bard Avaulta vaginal mesh products be prepared to stand before a jury during the next year. These cases will be litigated in two “waves” of about 100 cases each and the first vaginal mesh cases to go to trial are scheduled to begin on Jan. 30. The discovery procedures for all these vaginal mesh lawsuits must be completed by Jan. 5.

According to court updates, 185 of these 200 Bard vaginal mesh lawsuits have already completed plaintiff and healthcare provider testimonies, and expect expert witness discovery procedures to conclude before the judge’s deadline next month.

Background on Vaginal Mesh

Vaginal mesh products (also known as transvaginal mesh systems or vaginal slings) are medical devices made from porous synthetic materials and implanted in the body to treat pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence.

In July 2011, the FDA released a Public Health Notification warning consumers of the dangers associated with the use of vaginal or transvaginal mesh.

Some vaginal mesh side effects consumers may experience include:

• Pain during intercourse
• Urinary issues
• Pelvic organ prolapse
• Scarring in the vaginal area
• Perforated bowels, bladder, and/or blood vessels
• Mesh erosion
• Infection
• Various organ injuries

Many of the vaginal mesh side effects listed above require surgeries and treatments, including vaginal mesh removal surgery, IV therapy, blood transfusions, and surgical draining of abscesses and hematomas.