How do I know if my injuries were caused by a defective hernia mesh?

As described in my last blog, hernia repair surgeries are one of the most common surgeries performed in the United States. There are dozens of products on the market used to repair hernias. It is critically important that you find out specifically what kind of product you had implanted to repair your hernia – if you had any product implanted, some hernias are repaired without an implant.

A common misconception of patients who have undergone a hernia repair surgery is that because they are experiencing certain symptoms or have certain injuries, then they must have a claim. As a products liability attorney, I only wish this was the case! The analysis is more complex and I want to use this blog to talk about the injuries and symptoms you may have.

Some hernia repair injuries include: recurrent hernia (the same hernia comes back or you develop new hernias), incarcerated hernia (part of your insides get stuck in the hernia sac), adhesions (scar tissue formation), obstructed bowel (your intestines get blocked), and perforated bowel (your intestines are punctured or torn open), peritonitis (inflammation of the inner abdominal wall), and additional surgeries.

Some symptoms include: pain and discomfort, swelling, infection, drainage, pulling or poking sensation, loose bowels, digestive problems. I am sure those of you experiencing

If any of the above injuries or symptoms apply to you — this is just the beginning of the analysis. Unfortunately, no amount of pain and discomfort and no amount of trips to the emergency room because of your medical condition mean that you have a products liability lawsuit. Read last week’s blog: How do I know if I have a hernia mesh lawsuit? to go over the product liability formula: Product + Defect = (must CAUSE) the Injury.