According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), more than one million hernia repairs are performed each year, many of which involve the implantation of surgical mesh. While this mesh has benefited many patients and allowed them to live pain-free lives, some mesh products fail and cause more problems than they fix.
If you are one of the thousands of patients suffering from the effects of defective mesh, you could seek compensation with the help of a skilled Rock Hill surgical mesh lawyer. An experienced personal injury attorney is familiar with the damages mesh can cause, its impact on patients, and how these companies attempt to avoid liability for their defective products.
What is Surgical Mesh?
Surgical mesh is a screen-like material placed inside the body to reinforce tissue or bone. It is used to correct hernias and pelvic organ prolapses. Mesh can be crafted from polypropylene, acellular collagen, polycaprolactone, or a combination of these products.
When this mesh fails, it can cause:
- Abdominal pain and adhesions
- Bowel obstruction
- Infections
- Joint pain
- Neurological changes
- Fistulas
- Renal failure
- Liver problems
Patients who suffer any of these symptoms should consult with a surgical mesh lawyer in Rock Hill to determine if they have a case against the medical device company.
Regulating Medical Mesh
It may be confusing that a dangerous product is allowed to be sold on the market. One way that this can happen is with the FDA’s premarket program under 21 CFR 807 Subpart E. This program lets the FDA allow certain products to be placed on the market if similar products are already for sale.
Even if a company is allowed to sell a device on the medical market, however, they are still responsible if patients are negatively impacted by their product. Companies are responsible for ensuring that their products are properly tested and are not sold until they are sure of their safety. If at some point the company realizes that the product is not safe, they should issue warnings or a recall.
Recoverable Damages
A Rock Hill surgical mesh attorney could help hold companies liable for the damages they have caused patients. Through no fault of their own, these patients often suffer immensely, and their health may be worse than it was before they had the device implanted.
Damages from these claims can be economic or non-economic. They are specific to each patient but may include:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Past and future lost wages
- Past and future medical expenses
- Loss of consortium
- Emotional trauma
Help from Rock Hill Surgical Mesh Attorney
If you received surgical mesh as a part of your hernia or pelvic organ repair and are suffering from pain or complications, a Rock Hill surgical mesh lawyer could help. You may feel as if there are no easy answers and no way to get past this difficult chapter in your life. However, an attorney could help by standing up for your rights and fighting for fair compensation for the harm you suffered.
Call Schiller & Hamilton today to discuss your case with a compassionate personal injury attorney.