People Who Had Hernia Surgery and Suffered Serious Complications May Be Owed Money After Mesh Failures

Hernia surgery is one of the most common procedures in the United States — more than a million are performed every year. In most cases, surgeons use a synthetic mesh implant to reinforce the repaired tissue. For many patients, that works without problems. For thousands of others, the mesh has caused devastating complications.

Brands including Bard (Davol), Covidien, Atrium Medical, and Ethicon have faced lawsuits alleging their mesh products shrink, harden, pull away, migrate to other organs, and cause chronic, debilitating pain. The FDA has received thousands of adverse event reports and issued multiple safety warnings about these devices.

What the Hernia Mesh Lawsuit Is About

Hernia mesh is implanted to hold weakened abdominal tissue together after hernia surgery. The lawsuits allege that some mesh products were designed with materials that are not biocompatible — meaning the body reacts badly to them. Problems reported include:

• Mesh shrinking and pulling on surrounding tissue
• Mesh migrating from where it was placed
• Mesh causing chronic infections
• Mesh eroding into nearby organs
• Mesh that cannot be removed without serious additional surgery

The FDA issued a Safety Communication on hernia mesh in 2016 and updated it in 2019, noting reports of “serious adverse events” including mesh migration, infection, bowel perforation, and fistula. Multiple hernia mesh products have been recalled. (FDA, 2019.)

Who May Qualify

You may qualify if both of the following apply to you:

1. You had hernia repair surgery using a synthetic mesh implant — abdominal, inguinal (groin), or another type.
2. You later developed any of the following: chronic pain that doesn’t go away, mesh migration or movement, infection requiring antibiotics or surgery, need for additional surgery to repair or remove the mesh, or bowel obstruction or bowel injury.

Note: pelvic mesh used for urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse is a separate category of lawsuits and is not covered here.

What Could This Mean for You?

If you qualify, you may be owed money for additional surgeries, pain and suffering, lost wages if complications kept you from working, and other costs tied to your mesh complications. These cases are evaluated individually — we will not quote you a number, and anyone who does at this stage is guessing.

Filing Deadline

Deadlines vary by state and by when complications first appeared. In some states, the clock starts from when you first noticed a problem — not when the surgery was performed. Don’t wait to find out your options. Checking takes two minutes and costs nothing.

How the Process Works

Step 1 — Fill out the free form

No cost, no commitment. Takes about two minutes.

Step 2 — A lawyer reviews your surgical and medical history

Our team checks every submission and looks at what mesh was used, when surgery happened, and what complications arose.

Step 3 — If you qualify, you pay nothing unless you receive money

There are no fees out of pocket. Attorneys work on contingency.

Step 4 — Your case is filed in the appropriate MDL or court

Your case joins the ongoing multidistrict proceedings. You don’t need to appear in court in most situations.

Common Questions

My doctor told me the mesh was fine — can I still file?

Yes. Mesh complications can appear months or years after surgery, and some problems are internal and not obvious on physical exam.

Does this apply to any brand of mesh?

Several brands are named in active cases. It’s worth checking regardless of which brand was used in your surgery.

I don’t know what brand of mesh was used — is that a problem?

No. Your hospital or surgeon records will show the device implanted. A lawyer can help you obtain those records.

I had mesh placed years ago — is it too late?

Statutes of limitations vary by state. In many states, the deadline starts from when complications arose — not when surgery happened. Check as soon as possible.

This is different from pelvic mesh, right?

Yes. Pelvic mesh lawsuits are a separate category. This case is specifically about hernia mesh used during abdominal or groin repair surgery.