Defective Products Lawyer Interviews

Houston, TX PFAS contamination lawyer Bill Barfield, with McDonald Worley law firm, says the number of calls they receive about PFAS exposure is on the rise, from individuals worrying that their drinking water is contaminated to first responders exposed to firefighting foam at vehicle accident scenes. “Their first question is, ‘Do I have a claim?’ and their second question is, ‘Where can I get PFAS testing?’” says Barfield. 

Austin, TX: By now, most everyone following the talcum powder lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson know the company is accused of failure to warn consumers about ovarian cancer risks. What they likely don’t know is that J&J isn’t required to disclose all the ingredients in their talc recipe. Attorney Mark Mueller urges the public to demand transparency…

Chicago, ILOn the advice of her doctor, Barbara Kaiser had Prolift pelvic mesh implanted in 2009 to treat her pelvic organ prolapse. She then began to suffer from low pelvic pain. It was only years later that she learned that this was likely a transvaginal mesh complication. Her doctor never told her about this and he, himself, claims to have not been aware of all of the risks, including the danger of severe and irreversible injury to his patients.

York, PA: Last month a group of women, including "Essure Problems" Facebook representatives and Madris Tomes from Device Events, met with FDA chief Scott Gottlieb in an attempt to have the Essure sterilization device withdrawn from the U.S. market. At the meeting, Tomes presented data from the FDA's own MAUDE ((Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience) database that the FDA and their legal counsel in attendance were seemingly unaware of. One would think the FDA may be embarrassed being caught off-guard like this, to say the least.

Dallas, TX: "With all these opioid lawsuits filed against big Pharma, manufacturers, distributors and pharmacy chains, we are hopeful that a treasure trove of discovery will be uncovered to help individuals," says attorney Shezad Malik. "This teacher, this fireman, so many people wouldn't have fallen into the opioid trap if these drugs weren't pushed on them by their doctor or hospital."

Southlake, TX: Some DePuy ASR hip replacement patients are having problems finding a surgeon to perform revision surgery. Besides having to deal with a defective medical device, surgeons are in a dilemma and the FDA could have done more to help patients.

Cranston, RI: When Lori was hospitalized for a back injury 40 years ago, she was given Demerol injections and sent home with a host of opioid painkillers and sedatives. “I became physically dependent, with an unlimited supply of drugs prescribed mostly by one doctor,” Lori says. “For many years I was non-functional and depressed, and a single mother. I am lucky to be alive.”

Houston, TX: Although Jordan will receive compensation from Boston Scientific for transvaginal mesh injuries, she says the settlement cannot cover the collateral damage suffered not only by her injuries but also by her family.

Orlando, FL:At the beginning of last year, Takata—the automotive parts company behind the largest automotive recall in the nation’s history—entered into a plea agreement with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). The company then declared bankruptcy a few months later, setting off an avalanche of legal filings throughout the world, with an international corporate restructuring effort continuing to this day. “It’s critical to remember that as this process plays out, consumers have and will continue to be hurt and killed by rupturing airbags,” says attorney Frank Melton of Newsome Melton, PA.

Dallas, TX: The US Federal Drug Administration (FDA) first raised serious questions about the safety and effectiveness of transvaginal mesh implants in 2008. Much has happened since then -- studies and recalls and thousands of lawsuits. But women still suffer serious and painful pelvic mesh complications, which may take years to manifest. According to attorney and physician Dr. Shezad Malik, the most important thing women should know is that “it’s not too late to file a lawsuit or get involved in a settlement program because this is a device that will continue to cause problems for the rest of this decade.”


The FDA first approved surgical mesh to treat stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in 1996, later expanding the approval to include pelvic organ prolapse (POP). The approval was accomplished through the FDA’s 510(k) system, which provides an expedited process for products that are similar to others already on the market. The similar devices in question were mesh products used for hernia and other abdominal repairs. The intervening years tell a tale of unraveling confidence in both the safety of transvaginal mesh and the soundness of FDA’s approval process.


By 2011, the FDA warned that serious complications associated with surgical mesh for transvaginal repair of POP were not rare and that it could expose patients to greater risk without substantial medical advantage. Manufacturers like Boston Scientific, Mentor Corporation and C.R. Bard pulled products from the market.


A 2017 study published in the journal The BMJ directed blame squarely at the FDA, concluding that, “Transvaginal mesh products for pelvic organ prolapse have been approved on the basis of weak evidence over the last 20 years.” More bluntly, as Dr. Malik put it, “there is no evidence that this stuff is any good.”


Meanwhile, however, as Dr. Malik notes, women continue to suffer from transvaginal mesh side effects, including ongoing pain, chronic infections, bladder infections, difficulty having sex, trouble passing urine, incontinence, and erosion into the vagina or the pelvic area, sometimes leading to organ rupture.


After years of litigation, some high profile transvaginal mesh lawsuits have resulted in large awards for injured plaintiffs. Others, consolidated as multidistrict litigation, appear to be moving toward settlement. But for women who suffer from transvaginal mesh side effects, the pain is still not over. The good news is that it may not be too late to bring legal action against manufacturers who appear to have rushed a faulty product to market without sufficient testing.


Dr. Malik represents individuals in personal injury cases through his law office, The Dr. Shezad Malik Law Firm, in Dallas, TX.