Becton Dickinson & Co. has agreed to pay over $1 billion to settle more than 38,000 lawsuits alleging that its surgical mesh products caused serious injuries to patients. The settlements aim to resolve the majority of existing claims related to hernia mesh, with payouts expected to occur over the next five years. Although Becton Dickinson maintains that its products are safe, it chose to settle to mitigate litigation risks without admitting any wrongdoing. The company had previously allocated $1.7 billion for product liability cases, including this litigation.
