A Delaware Jury awarded Plaintiff Deborah Barba $100 million following a trial against transvaginal mesh manufacturer Boston Scientific on May 28, 2015. Barba was awarded $75 million in punitive damages and $25 million in compensatory damages for physical injuries sustained from a complications caused by the company’s defective mesh implants.

Ms. Barba continues to experience gynecological symptoms including severe pelvic pain, despite undergoing two pelvic surgeries. Barba’s verdict is now the sixth Plaintiff’s victory against Boston Scientific.

The largest defendant-manufacturer involved in the transvaginal mesh litigation is Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon division, which is currently facing approximately 30,000 mesh claims.

If you are the victim of defective vaginal mesh implants and are experiencing pain and suffering from the implantation of these devices, contact Caputo and Mariotti today to find out more information.

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently found that 79 percent more nursing home patients have longer stays or require transfers to more acute facilities due to adverse events. The 2014 report, “Adverse Events in Skilled Nursing Facilities: National Incidence Among Medicare Beneficiaries” uncovers that the Medicare expenditures for skilled nursing facilities is the program’s second highest cost, with the highest expenditure being hospital inpatient costs.

According to the DHHS report, nursing home patients have longer stays in health care facilities due to injuries sustained, stating:

“An estimated 22 percent of Medicare beneficiaries experienced adverse events during the [skilled nursing facility] stays. An additional 11 percent of Medicare beneficiaries experienced temporary harm events during their [skilled nursing facility] stays. Physician reviewers determined that 59 percent of these adverse events and temporary harm events were clearly or likely preventable. They attributed much of the preventable harm to substandard treatment, inadequate resident monitoring, and failure or delay of necessary care …”

The DHH lists medication errors, falls, injuries during transfers from the hospitals to the skilled nursing facilities, and bedsores as some of the most commonly occurring adverse events. In order to better deal and understand these issues, they have recommended investigating the self reporting process and requirements for nursing homes, and potentially instituting punishments similar to those currently instated for over-medicating.

If you or someone you know has incurred injury due to an adverse event experienced during a stay in a skilled nursing home, contact Caputo & Mariotti today for information on what you can do to protect your rights.

Metal hip implant patient, Alan Warner, has been awarded $4.5 million in the first Wright hip implant trial. The California jury made this decision in favor of Warner and his wife after finding that he was caused pain and suffering due to Wright’s defective implant.

The defect found in the implant caused a failure that injured both Warner and his wife. However Wright was not found negligent in designing the Profemur R implant by the jurors hearing the case. Although Warner received $4 million for both past and future suffering, including mental anguish, he was not awarded any damages to cover his medical expenses. For the injuries received due to the hip plant failure, Warner’s wife received $500,000.

According to the victim’s testimony, his injury occurred as he went to get a new cup of coffee from his kitchen and the implant failed, leaving him in excruciating pain. Warner then had to undergo extensive surgery to repair the damage caused by the defective implant, which reportedly broke at the stem of the implant. The Wright implant has typically experienced breaks in other parts of the unit, such as the neck, or has infected the bloodstreams and contaminated the hip capsules of other patients with cobalt and chromium due to other defective issues.

Warner’s trial is the first of over 600 pending cases which all involve the failure of Wright’s metal on metal hip implant, which has repeatedly failed causing significant harm to hundreds of individuals.

If you have recently received a Wright hip implant or have had a Wright hip implant for several years and are experiencing pain or suffering from complications, it is important that you have a complete understanding of your options. Contact Caputo and Mariotti today to find out everything you need to know about pursuing rightful compensation.