Hernia Mesh Compensation

Claiming Hernia Mesh Compensation

You may be eligible to claim hernia mesh compensation if you’ve suffered complications arising from your hernia mesh treatment.

Were The Alternatives Explained To You?

You don’t have to have mesh to repair your hernia. Open repair can be performed without surgical mesh, where sutures are used (known as primary closure). It is believed that this technique may be dying out with younger surgeons not being taught this technique, but some private clinics do offer alternatives.

It doesn’t have to be a case of the surgeon pushing the protruding tissue back in and covering with mesh. Were you provided with information about feasible alternatives with better potentially prospects of recovery?

Were You Told About The Risks?

With the risks of hernia mesh complications being as high as 30%, were you properly advised about the chances of problems arising? Were you informed about how to spot the signs of complications, and when to seek help?

Patients must always be properly advised about the potential need for revision surgery, especially where mesh revision surgery can be complicated and painful. Patients must be given clear guidance to know when to seek help and further advice.

Were You Provided With Adequate Follow-Up Care?

NHS guidance for follow-up care is said to be inconsistent.

This was one of the problems with the vaginal mesh devices (another legal action we’re involved in) where guidelines eventually became more stringent over time, and a widespread pause was then imposed in July 2018.

Making A Hernia Mesh Compensation Claim

You may be eligible to recover damages in a hernia mesh compensation claim where complications arise, such as:

• Pain (which can be chronic)
• Mobility problems (examples include being unable to stand or walk)
• Adhesions (scar tissue that can lead to an inflammatory response)
• Organ perforation
• Bowel obstruction
• Hernia recurrence
• Mesh migration
• Mesh shrinkage / contraction
• Mesh fractures due to it not being strong enough

The extent of the complications can leave some victims unable to walk or work. Hernia mesh compensation means recovering damages for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity caused by any hernia mesh complications that develop.

You can also claim for any losses and expenses, which can include:

• Lost earnings from time off work
• Care and assistance claims for help from friends and family
• Pain medication costs
• Private revision surgery where you may be subject to lengthy NHS waiting times

We also recognise the emotional side of patient suffering as well. The extent of the pain and suffering can have a huge impact on people psychologically.

With the risk rate being as high as 30%, it’s thought that there may be over a hundred thousand people who have, or will, suffer hernia mesh complications. In the last six years alone there have been some 170,000 procedures, with one in ten people developing hernias.

This is a big issue.

What Is Being Done About Hernia Mesh Complications?

In the UK, the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) has been criticised for failing to review patients who are coming forward with hernia mesh compilations. Both the NHS and the MHRA still back the use of hernia mesh procedures.

In the US, there have been several hernia mesh recalls as well as hernia mesh compensation actions. Hundreds of thousands of mesh implants have been recalled, with some manufacturers taking mesh implants off the market without a recall at all.

With calls for more consistent guidance in the NHS, and calls for regulators to review incidents more carefully, is enough being done to protect patients undergoing hernia mesh operations?

Until regulators look at the issues, more and more people may suffer as a result of inadequate advice. The devices themselves and surgical technique may also need to be further scrutinised as well.

You only have to consider similar cases like the vaginal mesh implant claims, or the PIP Breast Implant Scandal action where we’ve recovered over £1.3m in damages so far.

No Win, No Fee Hernia Mesh Compensation

We can offer free, no-obligation advice for anyone suffering with hernia mesh complications.

If you’re eligible to claim with us, we may also be able to represent you for a hernia mesh compensation case on a No Win, No Fee basis.

For advice about your eligibility, please contact the team for help now.