Pelvic mesh victims left unsure of futures as legal fees threaten to slash class action payout

In September, Shine Lawyers won a $300 million settlement in two class actions over the failed mesh products by Johnson & Johnson Medical and Ethicon. However, the law firm is proposing to take up to $99.5 million from the payout in costs, just under a third of the total sum.

Of 11,000 women involved in the class action, Janelle Gale is one of 200 who is not happy with Shine Lawyers' compensation proposal. Representatives of the group said there was mass confusion over what compensation they might be eligible for and how many hoops they would have to jump through to receive a payment.

Despite having barely any leakage before her 2014 surgery, afterwards Janelle became heavily incontinent. She was a drag-racing champion, but that came to a halt. She said it destroyed her marriage, she couldn't have sex and she still can't work.

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Source: ABC News, 3 December 2022