Texas Lawyer Interviews

Austin, TX: By now, most everyone following the talcum powder lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson know the company is accused of failure to warn consumers about ovarian cancer risks. What they likely don’t know is that J&J isn’t required to disclose all the ingredients in their talc recipe. Attorney Mark Mueller urges the public to demand transparency…

Crosby, TX If they'd been told just how dangerous the Arkema Inc. chemical plant could become the plaintiffs would have taken more precautions, but according to the statement of claim filed in a Texas court, Arkema's failure to warn authorities and the public resulted in serious injuries to a team of first responders and nearby residents.

Dallas, TX: "With all these opioid lawsuits filed against big Pharma, manufacturers, distributors and pharmacy chains, we are hopeful that a treasure trove of discovery will be uncovered to help individuals," says attorney Shezad Malik. "This teacher, this fireman, so many people wouldn't have fallen into the opioid trap if these drugs weren't pushed on them by their doctor or hospital."

Southlake, TX: Some DePuy ASR hip replacement patients are having problems finding a surgeon to perform revision surgery. Besides having to deal with a defective medical device, surgeons are in a dilemma and the FDA could have done more to help patients.

Houston, TX: Although Jordan will receive compensation from Boston Scientific for transvaginal mesh injuries, she says the settlement cannot cover the collateral damage suffered not only by her injuries but also by her family.

Dallas, TX: The US Federal Drug Administration (FDA) first raised serious questions about the safety and effectiveness of transvaginal mesh implants in 2008. Much has happened since then -- studies and recalls and thousands of lawsuits. But women still suffer serious and painful pelvic mesh complications, which may take years to manifest. According to attorney and physician Dr. Shezad Malik, the most important thing women should know is that “it’s not too late to file a lawsuit or get involved in a settlement program because this is a device that will continue to cause problems for the rest of this decade.”


The FDA first approved surgical mesh to treat stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in 1996, later expanding the approval to include pelvic organ prolapse (POP). The approval was accomplished through the FDA’s 510(k) system, which provides an expedited process for products that are similar to others already on the market. The similar devices in question were mesh products used for hernia and other abdominal repairs. The intervening years tell a tale of unraveling confidence in both the safety of transvaginal mesh and the soundness of FDA’s approval process.


By 2011, the FDA warned that serious complications associated with surgical mesh for transvaginal repair of POP were not rare and that it could expose patients to greater risk without substantial medical advantage. Manufacturers like Boston Scientific, Mentor Corporation and C.R. Bard pulled products from the market.


A 2017 study published in the journal The BMJ directed blame squarely at the FDA, concluding that, “Transvaginal mesh products for pelvic organ prolapse have been approved on the basis of weak evidence over the last 20 years.” More bluntly, as Dr. Malik put it, “there is no evidence that this stuff is any good.”


Meanwhile, however, as Dr. Malik notes, women continue to suffer from transvaginal mesh side effects, including ongoing pain, chronic infections, bladder infections, difficulty having sex, trouble passing urine, incontinence, and erosion into the vagina or the pelvic area, sometimes leading to organ rupture.


After years of litigation, some high profile transvaginal mesh lawsuits have resulted in large awards for injured plaintiffs. Others, consolidated as multidistrict litigation, appear to be moving toward settlement. But for women who suffer from transvaginal mesh side effects, the pain is still not over. The good news is that it may not be too late to bring legal action against manufacturers who appear to have rushed a faulty product to market without sufficient testing.


Dr. Malik represents individuals in personal injury cases through his law office, The Dr. Shezad Malik Law Firm, in Dallas, TX.

Dallas, TX: Upshur, a small rural county in east Texas with a population of about 35,000, has filed a lawsuit against 17 pharmaceutical companies claiming the drug makers are directly responsible for the opioid epidemic that has gripped its community. The lawsuit, put forward by the Upshur County District Attorney’s Office, alleges corporate marketing promoted drug addiction in the county and saddled the public with a huge financial burden and left a trail of human misery.

Houston, TX Users of the blood pressure medication Benicar will receive an estimated average payout of $100,000 each in a settlement deal reached with Diiachi Sankyo and Forest Laboratories. The company admits no liability but agreed to pay compensation plaintiffs to some individuals who experienced gastrointestinal problems after using the medication.

Pasadena, CA Two companies involved in the manufacture and distribution of an upscale dog food known as “Cocolicious” are the subject of a class action lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Court. The suit alleges Party Animal Inc. of California and Evanger’s Dog and Cat Food Company of Illinois are responsible for selling cans of Party Animal dog food that, according to a Texas A&M testing of the dog food, contained the animal euthanasia drug pentobarbital.

Dallas, Texas Veteran attorney Ethan Preston knows the world of class actions very well. He’s successfully represented thousands of people in consumer and small class action lawsuits as a Texas attorney through his firm Ethan Preston Law, where much of his focus is on consumer technology and consumer privacy cases.