Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) can be an embarrassing and difficult condition to live with that affects over 3 million women in the US. Vaginal mesh is a medical device used to treat POP.
Vaginal mesh, also called transvaginal mesh, is a medical netting commonly made out of polypropylene, a food-safe plastic. This mesh is surgically implanted in the patient in order to hold their organs in place while the body heals around the mesh. Vaginal mesh is often used to treat the complications of menopause, childbirth, or a hysterectomy including POP, stress urinary incontinence, and other discomforting or painful conditions.
Vaginal mesh can be made of inorganic materials like plastics, or it can be made of polyester, absorbable synthetic materials that biodegrade like poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), biological material including cow or pig-derived collagen, or a composite of multiple types of material. While these materials were all assured to be safe, effective, and painless, some of the women implanted with vaginal mesh experienced side effects.
After implantation, some women suffered complications as the result of improper placement and constant revision surgeries. Other complications arose from the mesh itself and included side effects like:
These side effects were so severe that some women required revision surgical treatment to remove their vaginal mesh while others needed to be hospitalized.
Many of these complications arise from the mesh migrating away from its original location. Because the mesh is designed to embed itself in the body to repair the damage, revision surgeries have to happen numerous times to ensure the entire mesh product has been removed from the body.
If you or a loved one were implanted with vaginal mesh and are now trapped in the cycle of revision surgeries and complications, you may be able to recover medical costs and lost wages. To do that, you will need an experienced mass torts attorney.
A good mass torts attorney can not only stand up for your rights in the face of massive corporations, they can also examine settlement offers and understand whether the mass settlement will be good for your case specifically. The best place to find excellent mass torts attorneys in your area is with Attorney at Law.
At AAL, our nationwide network of attorneys and law firms can match you with the best attorney in your area. Our partners have the resources, legal expertise, and experience to go toe to toe with the biggest corporations in the nation. In addition to a proven track record, our partners also excel in client care.
Our partners understand that litigation is complex and stressful. In order to put clients at ease, our partners take care of financial concerns and take mass tort cases exclusively on contingency. On contingency, clients never pay a penny up front and if you don’t win, you don’t pay.
Don’t wait. Contact AAL today for a free, no obligation consultation and begin your journey to justice.
Since 2013, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has received at least 3,000 reports of broken Paragard contraceptive devices. Roughly two-thirds of these events have required hospitalization and some have even been life-threatening.
If you currently are or have been experiencing Paragard side effects, here are the facts you need to know, including the best course of action to take, to ensure that you may receive compensation for the harm the device has caused you.
Paragard (version T-380A) is an intrauterine device (IUD) that is the only FDA-approved IUD in the U.S. that’s made with copper and is non-hormonal.
Manufactured and marketed by Cooper Surgical, a division of The Cooper Companies (CooperCompanies), a publicly-traded medical device company headquartered in San Ramon, CA, Paragard received FDA approval in 1984 and was introduced to the market in the U.S. in 1988.
Unlike birth control pills, which can cause mood swings, spotting in between periods, mild headaches, and other common side effects, Paragard does not alter hormones and doesn’t require daily usage.
After being surgically implanted, Paragard was designed to prevent pregnancy for up to a decade. In addition, Paragard may be used as an emergency contraceptive device if used within five days of the date of possible conception. These benefits have made Paragard a more desirable birth control device than traditional contraceptive drugs for many women.
However, for the thousands of women who have filed reports on the FDA website, Paragard has been a nightmare. At least 60 individual Paragard lawsuits have been filed and hundreds more are expected.
Paragard lawsuits have been filed because the threads that wrap around the copper T-shaped prong that’s inserted into the uterus may break and become embedded in the lining or wall of the uterus. When a Paragard IUD breaks (most instances of breakage have occurred when the device is removed) and the threads become embedded in the uterus, surgery is necessary to have the threads removed. But by the time surgery is performed, the broken-off threads may create perforations in the uterus or adjacent organs, sometimes causing irreparable harm.
In addition to breakage, which has spurred the majority of the Paragard lawsuits, some women have reported other serious side effects, including anemia, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which is an infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and nearby organs. PID is most likely to occur in the first few weeks after the device is inserted.
Uterine perforation isn’t only a concern when the device is removed. In rare instances, the uterus can tear immediately after Paragard is inserted.
Moreover, the removal process itself has been problematic for some women. In some instances, the T-shaped arms become stiff and fail to flex for easy removal. When this occurs, micro-sized pieces of plastic may break and lodge in the uterine wall or an adjacent organ.
Failure to remove the plastic pieces from the uterus may result in infertility, infection, pelvic inflammation, chronic pain, or uterine rupture.
When Paragard proves difficult to remove, there are two options for women to have it removed. The first option is surgery that’s similar to a C-section. And if an endoscopy is unable to locate the broken Paragard “T” arms, or if the plastic from the arms is unable to be removed, the only other medical intervention to remove the broken device is a hysterectomy, which makes becoming pregnant an impossibility.
Yes. In December 2020, Paragard multidistrict litigation was created, joining several similar lawsuits. If the manufacturers of Paragard IUD decide to settle, women who are part of the settlement class may receive up to $200,000.
Individual Paragard cases that have already been filed in the federal court system have been transferred to the MDL in the northern district of Georgia, which is being overseen by Judge Leigh Martin May.
According to the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (US JPML), “the Paragard intrauterine device (IUD) has a propensity to break upon removal, causing complications and injuries, including surgeries to remove the broken piece of the device, infertility, and pain. The actions thus implicate questions concerning the device’s development, manufacture, testing, labeling, and marketing.”
If you’ve been harmed by Paragard, you need an experienced Mass Torts attorney who can compellingly present your case and can navigate the highly confusing waters of settlement offers that are oftentimes made in bad faith. Working with a highly competent Mass Torts attorney is often the best chance for successfully receiving the compensation you’re entitled to.
The best way to find an experienced Mass Torts attorney is through Attorney at Law.
At AAL, our nationwide network of attorneys and law firms can match you with the best local and national attorney for you. Our partners have the resources, legal expertise, and experience to stand up to the biggest corporations and emerge victorious. Additionally, our partners are unparalleled in their level of client care.
Our partners know the difficulties of fighting a lawsuit. That’s why our Mass Tort partners take cases on a contingency basis. That means there’s no money upfront, no fees or hourly rate, and if you don’t win, you don’t pay.
Don’t wait. Contact AAL today for a free, no obligation consultation and begin your journey to justice.
Mass torts are an enormous undertaking. In the process of filing these massive lawsuits, clients may become concerned that the case is stalling out or taking too long. What some may not know is that the process of filing a lawsuit can take much longer than initially assumed.
The first thing to know is that a lawsuit is more than just a trial. In fact, many cases never make it to trial. Instead, these cases are settled during the pretrial period. The pretrial period is the span of time between filing the lawsuit and the time it goes to trial.
During the pretrial period, a lot of events are occurring. Attorneys undergo the discovery process in which they request documents and evidence from either side and conduct depositions to take witness testimony. Additionally, attorneys are filing motions in order to secure the best standing for their case.
This pretrial process can take months if not years. During this time, experts are being sought, vetted, and hired. For some mass torts, the expert may conduct their own independent research or review specifically to create evidence for the trial. During this process, clients may not hear from their attorneys, though most law firms will give clients updates every four to six months.
If you want to file a mass tort lawsuit, you will need help. A Mass Torts attorney can help you file your lawsuit, advise you on whether a settlement is in your best interest, and advocate for your circumstances and situation. The best Mass Torts attorney can recover the amount you are owed while protecting your interests. The best attorneys can be found at Attorney at Law.
At AAL, our nationwide network of attorneys and law firms can match you with an experienced Mass Torts attorney in your area. Our partners have the resources, legal expertise, and experience to take on any accountable group.
In addition to resources, our partners are client-focused in their approach to mass torts. Our partners understand that a lawsuit can be stressful and financially draining. That’s why we only partner with firms that take mass torts cases on contingency.
That you never pay unless you win. Don’t wait. Contact AAL today for a free, no obligation consultation and begin your journey to justice.
Though it has been largely overshadowed by the global health crisis of the last two years, there was another form of disease that was running rampant in America: opioid addiction. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has noticed that while the world struggled with COVID-19, opioid deaths took an unfortunate turn.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals have been overwhelmed by the need to prepare, the surges in hospitalization, and the distribution of vaccines. But while these heroic frontline workers have been attempting to curb the effects of the pandemic, life has continued. Car accidents occured, violent altercations resulted in injury, and people struggled with opioid addiction.
The CDC’s National Center For Health Statistics compiles data about opioid overdoses including opioid narcotics like heroin, oxycodone, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, and methadone as well as others in the opioid family. This data is publicly available on their Vital Statistic Rapid Release site.
Through their collection of data, the CDC has noted that there has been a significant increase in opioid deaths, noting an increase of approximately 30% from 2019 to 2020 and an increase of over 90% since the end of 2015. The CDC also notes that this data is a lower estimate than the true amount due to underreporting of opioid deaths caused by an overdose and the fact that provisional data can take up to six months to be cleared for publication.
The data has also been broken down state by state to show just how bad some states have suffered. In the last 12 months, 49 of the 50 states and D.C. have seen an increase in opioid deaths. Eleven states have had opioid death increases of at least 40%, and Wyoming has seen an increase of more than 70%. Out of the entire nation, only South Dakota has seen a decrease in opioid deaths, decreasing their count by 21%.
As the multibillion dollar opioid settlement with Purdue moves into its final acts and the nation begins to emerge from the chaos and fear of the pandemic, it is time to return to the plague that has yet to be addressed. If you or a loved one have suffered or died from an opioid addiction, you may be able to recover damages and expenses. To do this, you will need to be represented by a Mass Torts attorney.
An experienced Mass Torts attorney can present your case in the most compelling light possible and has the knowledge to reject settlement offers made in bad faith. A good Mass Torts attorney is often the best chance for success; and the best way to find an experienced Mass Torts attorney is with Attorney at Law.
At AAL, our nationwide network of attorneys and law firms can match you with the best local attorney for you. Our partners have the resources, legal expertise, and experience to stand up to the biggest corporations and come out on top. Additionally, our partners are unparalleled in their level of client care.
Our partners know the difficulties of fighting a lawsuit. That’s why our Mass Tort partners take cases on a contingency basis. That means there’s no money up front, no fees or hourly rate, and if you don’t win, you don’t pay.
Don’t wait. Contact AAL today for a free, no obligation consultation and begin your journey to justice.
A common feature of courtroom dramas is the sudden revelation of some previously unknown or concealed piece of evidence. From a hidden witness to a concealed murder weapon, this TV trope is actually completely at odds with the intent of modern litigation. In the modern day, the process of Discovery is designed to prevent trial by ambush.
The process of Discovery was created to ensure an even playing field for both parties in a lawsuit. During this pre-trial phase, both parties, whether prosecutor and defendant or plaintiff and defendant, are required to exchange all evidence that will be shown in the trial. During this period, the judge will rule over what is allowed to come in as evidence and which expert witness testimonies will be allowed in trial.
There are a few ways that each side will be able to acquire evidence. These methods include:
In order to be as effective as possible, attorneys are allowed to request, subpoena, or retrieve any document or witness whose testimony is not restricted by privilege. Privileged information would refer to something that either breaks attorney-client privacy, doctor-patient confidentiality, therapist-client privacy, or confessional seal.
There is an exception to this rule. If either party ever spoke to another person about something that was under the protection of privilege previously, then the confidentiality has been broken and the information is freely discoverable. This can also include if there was ever a recording made of these sessions and that recording was distributed or shared.
Discovery is one of the most pivotal stages of a lawsuit. An effective discovery phase could force a settlement immediately if the evidence uncovered was compelling enough. That’s why if you want to file a Mass Torts lawsuit, you will need an experienced Mass Torts attorney who is an expert in finding the right information through Discovery.
An experienced Mass Torts attorney can write subpoenas so specific that they can deftly avoid privilege and procure exactly what they need; a Mass Torts attorney with resources can quickly work through an opponent’s efforts to sandbag them with endless piles of documentation; an efficient Mass Torts attorneys can make effective use of the months-long Discovery process. The best Mass Torts attorneys can be found with Attorney at Law.
At AAL, our nationwide network of attorneys and law firms allows us to match you with a Mass Torts attorney with the experience, legal knowledge, and resources to fight against the biggest corporations in the world and come out on top. Our partners are leaders in their fields and they have the trial records to match.
Our partners also specialize in client care. They understand the intimate and personal struggles that you face in your lawsuit and do their best to provide you with relief and support you can trust. Additionally, all our Mass Torts attorneys work on contingency. That means that if you don’t win, you don’t pay.
Don’t wait. Contact AAL today for a free, no-obligation consultation and begin your journey to justice.
Breast implants have a broad number of applications in the modern world. The most common uses of breast implants include helpful reconstructive surgery for women who have had mastectomies, gender-affirming surgery, and cosmetic use. While their uses may vary, recently breast implants have been found to harbor some hidden dangers.
In recent years, thousands of women have spoken out about the dangers of breast implants. One of the most powerful dangers that rocked the world was the discovery that some breast implants could cause a unique variety of cancer.
Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large-Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is a type of cancer that only occurs in people with breast implants. The prevailing science suggests that a textured breast implant irritates breast tissue while implanted, eventually leading to cancerous growth. This has led to textured breast implants being banned in the U.S., Australia, Canada, and other nations globally.
The other major reported effect of breast implants is a variety of symptoms grouped under the banner of Breast Implant Illness (BII). BII is a condition that is still struggling to gain mass acceptance, but thousands of people have come forward testifying that after being implanted with breast implants, they experienced chronic fatigue, brain fog, rashes, food sensitivities, and many more symptoms.
If you have developed BIA-ALCL or BII, you may be able to join the litigation movement to get compensation for your injuries. In order to become a part of these breast implant lawsuits, you will need a mass torts attorney.
An experienced mass torts attorney can represent you and your interests in a mass torts lawsuit, advising you on whether it is better to accept a group settlement or pursue your interests separately. The way to find the best mass tort attorneys in your area is with Attorney at Law
At AAL, our nationwide network of attorneys can match you with the best attorney in your area. Our partner firms have the experience, legal expertise, and resources to fight for you against the largest corporations in the world.
Our partners not only have the resources to fight your case, they have the empathy and client care to see it through in your best interest. In addition to being excellent litigators, our partners will take your case on contingency. That means that if you don’t win your case, you pay nothing.
Don’t wait. Contact AAL today for a free, no obligation consultation and begin your journey to justice.
When someone joins a mass tort lawsuit, they may not fully understand the process or the various terms being thrown about. One of the most common phrases thrown about in the mass tort space is "contingency." What does contingency mean? How does it impact consumers?
When an attorney or law firm agrees to work on contingency, they are talking about how they will act and be paid for the duration of the case. Working on contingency means that the firm or attorney will not ask for their client to pay them upfront, nor will they charge an hourly rate for their services. Instead, the firm will take a proportion of the winnings that the client earns as a verdict from the case.
An average contingency fee will usually rest around 1/3 of the winnings or 33%. This can sound like a lot of money, and it is, but it is important to consider the firm’s position. When they work on contingency, an attorney will pay for everything. “Everything” includes filing fees, court fees, transportation costs, depositions, expert witnesses, motion practice, and their own labor costs. In total these costs can total into the hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.
Under the contingency system, all of these costs that would normally appear to clients in the form of a high hourly rate or stupendous retainer fee are instead absorbed by the firm. Then after all of these costs have been incurred, the firm will only see a return if they win for their client.
Essentially, under the contingency system, attorneys put themselves deeply in the red up front in exchange for less than half of the end result assuming that they win. This is a very good deal for clients who have had to put no money down to hire these attorneys and will still walk away with 2/3 of a verdict that could stretch into the millions.
While contingency is a very generous system, not every attorney uses it. If you are searching for an attorney to represent your mass torts case on contingency, you should use Attorney at Law.
At AAL, our nationwide network of attorneys and law firms allows us to match you with the best mass torts attorneys in your area. Our partners have unparalleled levels of experience, legal knowledge, and resources that place them on even footing with the largest corporations in the nation.
Plus, all firms that partner with us take mass tort cases on contingency. That means if you don’t win, you don’t pay. Don’t wait. Contact AAL today for a free, no obligation consultation and start your journey to justice.
