Covidien Awarded Summary Judgment in Calif. Federal Hernia Mesh Case

LOS ANGELES — A California federal judge awarded Covidien LP summary judgment in a hernia mesh action after ruling that the plaintiff’s expert is not qualified to render an opinion as to the product design or warnings.

In a Nov. 24 order, Judge Dean Pregerson of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California ruled that while the expert’s qualifications are not at issue as to causation, his opinion was not the product of a properly conducted differential diagnosis, or any other discernible methodology.

Gary Northrup underwent abdominal surgery in 2008 and later developed bowel obstructions …