The Pain Brokers

The phone calls were received from women across the United States with an urgent warning. The pelvic mesh that had been implanted during their individual surgical procedures presented a grave threat to their health. The women were urged to join a prospective lawsuit, have surgery to have the mesh removed, and their expenses would be covered. Women like Barb Shepard and Jerri Plummer signed on because they were convinced that their health was at risk. They were unaware that the documentation they signed contained fine print reducing any financial settlement. The concerns about the pelvic mesh were legitimate, and there had been lawsuits, yet the potential for harm was exaggerated by predatory schemers such as Vincent Chhabra, who exploited the situation for their financial gain. As complications resulted from the mesh removal and bills came in from unknown third parties, the women would seek legal recourse to avenge the harm done.

The Pain Brokers is an excellent and riveting fact-based legal drama documenting the chicanery practiced by grifters who operate on the margins of the legal system. The uphill climb to obtain justice possesses the hallmarks of an underdog story, but every aspect, as related by author Elizabeth Chamblee Burch, is gripping.