NJ Ethicon Hernia Mesh Lawsuits Might Get MCL Status

NJ Ethicon Hernia Mesh Lawsuits Might Get MCL Status

Introduction

The reports of early failure and complications resulting in the need for hernia revision surgery involving Ethicon Hernia Mesh lead to the filing of hundreds of lawsuits by people across the nation against Johnson & Johnson and its Ethicon subsidiary. The product was recalled from the market worldwide in May 2016.

With the mounting number of similar claims in New Jersey, a request for a multicounty litigation (MCL) has been put before New Jersey Supreme Court, which if established would help in avoiding the need for individual trials and in managing the growing number of cases in the state.

In June 2017, MDL No.2782 (In re Ethicon Physiomesh Flexible composite Hernia Mesh Products Liability Litigation) was established to centralize hundreds of complaints filed against the hernia mesh defendants Johnson & Johnson and its Ethicon subsidiary involving Ethicon Physiomesh lawsuits for coordinated pretrial proceedings. The first trials are scheduled to begin in September 2019.