Hernia Mesh Lawsuit
Polypropylene surgical mesh (and coated/composite variants used for hernia repair) · C.R. Bard / Davol (Becton Dickinson), Atrium Medical, Covidien (Medtronic), and Ethicon (Johnson & Johnson) · updated June 2026
Also covers polypropylene hernia mesh, surgical mesh for hernia repair, Bard Ventralight / Composix / Kugel mesh, Atrium C-QUR mesh, Covidien Parietex / Symbotex mesh, Ethicon Physiomesh / Proceed lawsuit claims.
Thousands of plaintiffs allege that polypropylene hernia mesh devices caused chronic pain, infection, organ damage, and the need for revision surgery, and that manufacturers failed to warn of these risks. These are allegations that have not been proven in court. In the largest litigation, against C.R. Bard, parent company Becton Dickinson announced in October 2024 that it would pay more than $1 billion to resolve roughly 38,000 federal and state claims — without admitting wrongdoing.
This page is general information about ongoing litigation and FDA safety actions — not medical or legal advice, and not a statement that Hernia Mesh caused any injury. Allegations described here are claims that have not been proven in court. Always consult a licensed professional.
What the lawsuits allege
Plaintiffs allege that polypropylene and coated hernia mesh devices were defectively designed and that the materials degraded, migrated, shrank, or adhered to internal organs after implantation, allegedly causing chronic pain, infection, bowel obstruction, organ perforation, and the need for additional revision or removal surgery. They further allege that manufacturers — including C.R. Bard/Davol, Atrium Medical, Covidien, and Ethicon — knew or should have known of these risks but failed to adequately warn patients and surgeons, and in some cases marketed the devices as safe despite internal knowledge of complications. These are unproven allegations; the manufacturers deny wrongdoing, and the settlements reached to date include no admission of liability. This page is informational and is not legal or medical advice.
- Chronic or severe pain
- Infection
- Mesh migration or movement
- Mesh shrinkage/contraction
- Adhesion (mesh sticking to organs or tissue)
- Bowel obstruction or blockage
- Organ perforation and damage
- Fistula (abnormal connection between organs)
- Hernia recurrence
- Revision or removal surgery
FDA action
The FDA has not banned hernia mesh or issued a blanket recall of polypropylene mesh. On its "Surgical Mesh Used for Hernia Repair" page, the FDA states that surgeons use surgical mesh to strengthen hernia repair and reduce the rate of recurrence (and that it may reduce operative and recovery time), while acknowledging documented adverse events including pain, infection, hernia recurrence, adhesion, obstruction, perforation, fistula, and mesh migration or shrinkage. The FDA's actions have instead been product-specific recalls — most notably the 2005-2007 Class I (most serious) recalls of Bard/Davol Composix Kugel mesh over a "memory recoil ring" that could break and cause bowel perforation or fistula, plus a 2013 Class II recall of Atrium C-QUR mesh (over coating that could adhere to packaging) and other manufacturer- and lot-specific recalls. The FDA continues to monitor adverse-event reports rather than declaring the devices generally unsafe.
Verify against the current FDA-approved label: Hernia Mesh label on DailyMed (U.S. NLM).
Where the litigation stands
As of mid-2026, hernia mesh claims are consolidated across four federal MDLs. In re Davol/C.R. Bard Polypropylene Hernia Mesh Products Liability Litigation (MDL 2846, S.D. Ohio, Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.) is the largest, with roughly 23,000-24,000 cases pending; Becton Dickinson announced an October 2024 settlement of more than $1 billion to resolve about 38,000 federal and state claims combined. In re Atrium Medical Corp. C-QUR Mesh (MDL 2753, D. New Hampshire, Judge Landya McCafferty) involves a confidential settlement reached in 2021 with a qualified settlement fund. In re Covidien Hernia Mesh (MDL 3029, D. Massachusetts) is in the bellwether phase, with a first trial slated to begin on July 13, 2026. In re Ethicon Physiomesh (MDL 2782, N.D. Georgia) has been largely resolved through confidential settlements. Case counts shift as filings and dismissals occur, so exact totals should be treated as approximate.
Case counts and MDL status are published by the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation — JPML pending MDLs. Any figure not on the court record is attributed to the secondary legal-press links below.
Who may be affected
The Hernia Mesh lawsuits are brought by people who say they used Hernia Mesh (Polypropylene surgical mesh (and coated/composite variants used for hernia repair)) and were later diagnosed with one or more of the alleged injuries above. Whether any individual situation could support a claim depends on the specific facts, the medical records, and each state's filing deadline (statute of limitations) — which can expire, so timing matters. Only a licensed attorney can evaluate a specific case. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked
- What is the Hernia Mesh lawsuit about?
- Plaintiffs allege that polypropylene and coated hernia mesh devices were defectively designed and that the materials degraded, migrated, shrank, or adhered to internal organs after implantation, allegedly causing chronic pain, infection, bowel obstruction, organ perforation, and the need for additional revision or removal surgery. They further allege that manufacturers — including C.R. Bard/Davol, Atrium Medical, Covidien, and Ethicon — knew or should have known of these risks but failed to adequately warn patients and surgeons, and in some cases marketed the devices as safe despite internal knowledge of complications. These are unproven allegations; the manufacturers deny wrongdoing, and the settlements reached to date include no admission of liability. This page is informational and is not legal or medical advice. As of mid-2026, hernia mesh claims are consolidated across four federal MDLs. In re Davol/C.R. Bard Polypropylene Hernia Mesh Products Liability Litigation (MDL 2846, S.D. Ohio, Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.) is the largest, with roughly 23,000-24,000 cases pending; Becton Dickinson announced an October 2024 settlement of more than $1 billion to resolve about 38,000 federal and state claims combined. In re Atrium Medical Corp. C-QUR Mesh (MDL 2753, D. New Hampshire, Judge Landya McCafferty) involves a confidential settlement reached in 2021 with a qualified settlement fund. In re Covidien Hernia Mesh (MDL 3029, D. Massachusetts) is in the bellwether phase, with a first trial slated to begin on July 13, 2026. In re Ethicon Physiomesh (MDL 2782, N.D. Georgia) has been largely resolved through confidential settlements. Case counts shift as filings and dismissals occur, so exact totals should be treated as approximate.
- What injuries are alleged in the Hernia Mesh lawsuits?
- Lawsuits allege chronic or severe pain, infection, mesh migration or movement, mesh shrinkage/contraction, adhesion (mesh sticking to organs or tissue), bowel obstruction or blockage, organ perforation and damage, fistula (abnormal connection between organs), hernia recurrence, revision or removal surgery. These are allegations; a court has not found that Hernia Mesh causes them.
- Has the FDA acted on Hernia Mesh?
- The FDA has not banned hernia mesh or issued a blanket recall of polypropylene mesh. On its "Surgical Mesh Used for Hernia Repair" page, the FDA states that surgeons use surgical mesh to strengthen hernia repair and reduce the rate of recurrence (and that it may reduce operative and recovery time), while acknowledging documented adverse events including pain, infection, hernia recurrence, adhesion, obstruction, perforation, fistula, and mesh migration or shrinkage. The FDA's actions have instead been product-specific recalls — most notably the 2005-2007 Class I (most serious) recalls of Bard/Davol Composix Kugel mesh over a "memory recoil ring" that could break and cause bowel perforation or fistula, plus a 2013 Class II recall of Atrium C-QUR mesh (over coating that could adhere to packaging) and other manufacturer- and lot-specific recalls. The FDA continues to monitor adverse-event reports rather than declaring the devices generally unsafe.
- Is there a deadline to file a Hernia Mesh lawsuit?
- Yes — every state sets a filing deadline (statute of limitations) for product-injury claims, often running from the date of injury or diagnosis, and once it passes a claim is usually barred. The exact window varies by state and circumstances, so anyone considering a claim should check with a licensed attorney promptly. This is general information, not legal advice.