Nine-Week Pelvic Mesh Trial Concludes with Defense Verdict

Shook, Hardy & Bacon attorneys obtained a jury verdict in favor of Boston Scientific Corp. after a nine-week trial in which the plaintiff sought $28 million in damages from the company and competitor C.R. Bard.

The plaintiff had the Solyx SIS System implanted to treat pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence, then partially replaced the device with Align, a similar product from Bard, a few months later. She alleged that the products had degraded while implanted, causing the development of internal scar tissue. Shook attorneys argued that the plaintiff's injuries could not be traced to the Solyx or the Align but rather could have been caused by a previous pelvic floor surgery and implant or a number of other ongoing medical issues. The jury agreed and found for the defense.

Courtroom View Network (CVN) later chose the decision as the "most impressive defense verdict of 2016." The case is part of Shook's ongoing work in pelvic mesh litigation.

Sherrer v. Boston Scientific Corp., No. 1216-CV27879 (Mo. 16th Jud. Cir. 2016).