Hernia Mesh Lawsuit in Canada Information

Some victims of defective hernia mesh – or their loved ones if they died as a result of the defective mesh – have taken legal action against the makers of these products.

Victims of defective hernia mesh

Victims of defective hernia mesh interested in pursuing legal remedies should consult with a lawyer who is knowledgeable about personal injury law and product liability. These lawyers will listen to the victim’s story and explain their legal options. Hernia mesh lawsuits in Canada can be filed individually. A knowledgeable and experienced lawyer can explain the advantages of bringing an individual action which will likely to provide a victim with a sense of justice.

Financial Awards and Compensation

Although no amount of money can fully erase the pain and suffering caused by a defective hernia mesh, judgments in favour of these plaintiffs or negotiated settlements with companies found liable, can provide these victims with financial awards to compensate them for their injuries, disabilities, or future medical needs (such as remedial surgeries).

Hernia mesh is a surgical product used to strengthen or bridge tissue walls that normally hold bodily organs in place.

When tissue walls weaken or tear, an organ becomes displaced from its normal cavity. This condition, known as a hernia, is often painful and serious. Surgical operations can sometimes repair hernias by patching or binding the distressed tissue wall with biological or synthetic materials, but complications and recurrences are common.

In the past decades, hernia mesh products made of a plastic substance called polypropylene have been increasingly used to treat hernias. Initially heralded as a breakthrough that would improve success rates, defective types of this hernia mesh actually increased the risk of the usual complications from hernia surgeries and posed new problems, notably perforation and fissures of the skin and organs and pain due to nerve damage. Particularly serious instances of perforation and infection have resulted in blood poisoning and death. Some types of synthetic hernia mesh products have been subject to recalls.

Once implanted into a person’s body remedial surgeries are risky and some victims of this defective product may never fully recover from the damage it can cause even if it is removed or may even succumb to complications.

Hernia mesh products can be made from biological or synthetic materials. Biological hernia mesh is derived from animal tissue (usually cow or pig skin or intestine) that is disinfected before it is implanted. Fully absorbable, this mesh eventually degrades in the body and is expected to be replaced by new human tissue growth to strengthen the area bridged or patched.

Synthetic Hernia Mesh Products

Synthetic hernia mesh products can be made from both absorbable and/or non-absorbable materials. Non-absorbable mesh products, including those made from polypropylene plastics, are considered permanent implants that are designed to provide permanent reinforcement to tissue walls that may not otherwise regenerate on their own.

Hernia Mesh Product Recalls and Reviews

Some types of hernia mesh products, particularly types of synthetic mesh, have been subject to recalls or are currently under review by government health agencies and regulators. If you are unsure of what type of product was used in your hernia operation and want to know whether it has been recalled or the potential to be recalled as a defective product, you can contact the hospital where the surgery was performed to obtain the product sticker.