Negligence, Strict Liability Claim Consolidated in Ga. Pelvic Mesh Case

ATHENS, Ga. — A Georgia federal judge has consolidated claims for negligent design defect and strict liability design defect into a single count in an Ethicon pelvic mesh case, agreeing with the defendants that they are based on the same grounds.

However, in a July 1 order, Judge Tilman E. Self III of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia ruled that the plaintiff’s gross negligence claim cannot be consolidated because it requires a higher standard of proof.

The judge also dismissed the manufacturing defect claims, ruling the plaintiff failed to adequately alleged that the device she …