Atrium Agrees to Reported $66 Million Hernia Mesh Settlement

Atrium Settles C-QUR Hernia Mesh Lawsuits

In a huge win for over 1,300 claimants, Atrium Medical Corp, a Swedish medical device manufacturer, has agreed to settle hernia mesh lawsuits filed against it in the New Hampshire courts.

While the actual settlement amount has yet to be released, it was reported that the company set aside $66 million in December 2021 to be used in the New Hampshire settlement.

Many legal experts now believe that more settlements may be on the way as the risks associated with certain types of surgical meshes continue to surface. Our firm is actively representing clients in hernia mesh lawsuits — if you believe you may have a claim, please call 1-800-525-7111 for a free consultation.

Previous Mesh Settlements Have Set a Precedent

Atrium Medical Corp isn’t the first surgical mesh manufacturer to settle with claimants over dangerous failures of their devices. In March 2021, Boston Scientific Corporation settled with claimants in 47 states after being faced with multi-district litigation that accused them of using deceptive marketing techniques. Plaintiffs alleged that the company framed transvaginal surgical mesh as a better alternative to traditional soft tissue repair without disclosing potential risks.

This lawsuit settled for just over $188 million and certainly helped set a precedent for the most recent hernia mesh settlement with Atrium Medical Corp.

But could there be more settlements on the horizon for Atrium, Boston, or other manufacturers? Well, first, we need to look at the controversies surrounding hernia mesh and examine the injuries associated with these devices to understand whether or not more lawsuits could be on the horizon.

What is Hernia Mesh?

Hernia mesh is a type of surgical mesh that is used by surgeons to help repair herniated muscles. Surgical mesh is made of either organic or synthetic mesh and, when applied, creates a framework for the body’s soft tissue cells to reconstruct over and repair damaged tissue. Surgical mesh is considered either “absorbable,” which means after a certain amount of time, it will be broken down by the body, or “non-absorbable,” which means the mesh will stay in place permanently.

Types of Hernia Mesh Failure

With both kinds of hernia mesh, there are inherent risks of infection, rejection, or other failures simply due to the placement of a foreign object inside the body. However, in many legal cases, what’s more concerning are risks of failure due to potential design and/or manufacturing flaws in the mesh.

Certain types of surgical mesh weave have been shown to increase the fragility of the mesh, exponentially increasing the risk that the mesh will tear after application, resulting in internal bleeding, infection, and other health risks.

Manufacturing defects such as improper cutting of the mesh can also result in irritation, infection, and even perforation of muscles and organs. These complications may require additional surgery and in some cases may even be life-threatening.

Many patients are unaware of these risks. Further, some manufacturers have chosen to advertise surgical mesh as safer or more comfortable than traditional soft tissue repair surgeries.

Additional Lawsuits Against Atrium Are Pending

While Atrium has settled lawsuits concerning its C-QUR hernia mesh product, there is still litigation pending regarding its ProLite and ProLoop mesh products. In December 2021, claimants filed a motion with the Central District of California to consolidate all ProLite and ProLoop claims into multi-district litigation.

ProLite and ProLoop mesh is made of a polypropylene weave that these lawsuits allege does not remain stable inside the human body. Instead, it can degrade and cause inflammation and rejection of the implant.

Legal experts believe if this motion to consolidate is approved, it means that another large settlement may be likely, as Atrium has deployed similar marketing tactics that allegedly downplay the risk of this implant to physicians and consumers.

Do You Have a Hernia Mesh Injury Claim?

If you or a loved one have been implanted with a qualifying hernia mesh and suffered from injury or additional, corrective surgery, please call 1-800-525-7111 for a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced hernia mesh lawsuit attorney at Riddle & Brantley.

You may qualify for a hernia mesh lawsuit if you meet the following criteria:

• Must have had hernia mesh surgery between June 2008 and present
• Must have had hernia mesh implant to repair a hernia
• Must have experienced one of the following: abdominal infection, adhesion, hernia recurrence, intestinal blockage, mesh migration or perforation

Brands / products potentially subject to hernia mesh lawsuits include:

• Ethicon Physiomesh
• Atrium C-Qur
• Bard (multiple products)
• Covidien (multiple products)

Don’t wait — the longer you wait to contact us for a free consultation, the harder it may be to prove your hernia mesh injury claim and get you the compensation you need and deserve. Call 1-800-525-7111 today and let’s see how we can help.

Justice Counts.