Saline and silicone breast implants have been linked to hundreds of severe injuries and deaths. After a $4 billion class action settlement in 1992, a new wave of lawsuits accuse manufacturers of downplaying safety risks, such as cancer.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting breast implant induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer or had a doctor suggest breast implant removal because of a predisposition of cancer, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Medical Device Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
Breast Implant Cancer Class Action Lawsuit
August 2019 — Two women filed a class action lawsuit (PDF) in California for all women who were implanted with Allergan’s recalled breast implants. The women were both diagnosed with ALCL and they both had to pay out-of-pocket for surgery to have their implants removed and replaced. They accuse Allergan of failing to warn women and doctors about cancer risks.
Breast Implants Recalled Due to Cancer Risk
In July 2019, Allergan recalled all BIOCELL® textured breast implants in the U.S. after the FDA identified 33 deaths and 573 cases of Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (ALCL), a rare but fast-growing cancer that is linked to breast implants.
What is the Risk?
Investigators linked Allegan’s recalled breast implants with a 6-fold increased risk of ALCL. Furthermore, 84% of known cases of ALCL are linked to Allergan’s implants.
What Breast Implants Were Recalled?
Allergan will stop selling the following textured breast implants:
- Textured Natrelle Inspira Breast Implants
- Natrelle 410 Breast Implants
- BRST Breast Implants
- Allergan Tissue Expanders 133Plus
Breast Implants: Autoimmune Diseases & Cancer
Silicone is relatively inert in the human body. After breast implant surgery, the body reacts to this “foreign invader” by producing white blood cells called T-lymphocytes (T-cells). These cells play an important role in defending the body against disease.
What is the Problem?
When T-cell defenders malfunction, the result is an autoimmune disease — such as rheumatoid arthritis — in which the immune system attack healthy tissues in the body. T-cells can also mutate and cause Anaplastic Large-Cell Lymphoma (ALCL), a rare but aggressive cancer linked to breast implants. Nine deaths and over 457 cases of ALCL have been linked to breast implants as of September 2018.
Saline Breast Implant Lawsuits
Saline breast implants consist of a silicone rubber shell that is filled with salt-water (saline). Studies show that textured shells on breast implants are more likely to hide bacteria that could trigger infections, inflammation, contracture, lymphoma, or other side effects that require surgery. Lawsuits accuse manufacturers of downplaying these risks.
Mentor Breast Implant Lawsuit
In February 2017, lawyers for two women filed Mentor breast implant lawsuits in California. The women suffered severe pain, chronic fatigue, nausea, skin rashes, and other symptoms of silicone toxicity. According to their attorney:
“We believe the problems with Mentor’s silicone implant are pervasive and may have harmed thousands of women. This suit may be just the tip of the iceberg.”
Silicone Breast Implant Lawsuits
In September 2016, another lawsuit (PDF) was filed in California by a woman who developed “silicone sickness” from Mentor MemoryGel Silicone Breast Implants.
Before her surgery, she read a brochure confirming that Mentor had resolved problems with silicone breast implants. In reality, Mentor lost track of 79% of women within 3 years of a 10-year safety study, making it worthless for investigating rare side effects of silicone.
She was healthy and active before getting breast implants. Afterward, she was diagnosed with “silicone toxicity” and suffered many symptoms of her body’s reaction to toxic elements in the silicone gel:
- Chronic pain
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Inflammation
- Breast shrinkage
- Night sweats
- Hives
- Itching
- Brittle and cracked nails
- Poor wound healing
- Cognitive dysfunction
- Immune system dysfunction
- Headaches
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Infection
- Hashimoto’s disease
- Digestive issues
- Metal poisoning
- And more
Mentor Breast Implant Recall
In July 2016, Mentor issued a Class II recall for MemoryGel Breast Implants to fix a labeling mix-up on a box of 300cc implants. Mentor has not recalled any MemoryGel implants due to silicone safety risks.
FDA Rejects Mentor Implant Recall
The FDA considered recalling all Mentor MemoryGel Breast Implants due to a lack of long-term safety data, but rejected a recall in 2011 after a 2-day advisory panel meeting. The FDA was right to be concerned. Mentor’s 10-year safety study was so bad it was useless for investigating long-term side effects like cancer and silicone toxicity.
Allergan Breast Implant Lawsuit
Allergan Inc. was hit with a breast implant injury lawsuit (PDF) in November 2012. The victim received Natrelle silicone implants in 2009 to reconstruct her breast after surviving breast cancer. Over the next two years, she developed chronic migraine headaches, breathing problems, vision loss, and was diagnosed with autoimmune disease.
The lawsuit was filed in November 2012 in the U.S. District Court for Arizona — In RE: Nicole Weber v. Allergan Inc. — Case No. 2:12-cv-02388.
Breast Implant Lawsuit Settlement
In 1992, a massive $4 billion class action settlement was awarded to approximately 450,000 women who were injured breast implants in the 1980s and 1990s. This lawsuit is over, but women with newer types of silicone implants are still filing lawsuits against manufacturers.
Dow Corning Breast Implant Settlement Program
Dow Corning’s settlement program for breast implant injuries provided base payouts of $26,000, which included $20,000 per ruptured implant and $5,000 for revision surgery. In addition, women received between $10,000 and $250,000 for injuries associated with silicone toxicity.
How Can a Lawyer Help?
Out lawyers will review your case for free and let you know if you qualify to file a lawsuit. If so, we can help you gather the medical records and other evidence you will need. You could receive compensation for your health problems, medical expenses, and more.
How Much Time Do I Have to File a Lawsuit?
The amount of time you have to file a lawsuit depends on the state where you live. In some states, the time-limit is only 1 year. Other states give you more time. It is important to contact an injury attorney as soon as possible to avoid missing the statute of limitations.
Can I Join a Class Action Lawsuit?
Class actions helped resolve over 450,000 breast implant lawsuits in 1992, but the process has changed over the last 25 years. Today, lawsuits are still being filed against breast implant manufacturers, but not as part of a class action. Instead, they are individual lawsuits.
Need a Breast Implant Injury Lawyer?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting breast implant induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer or had a doctor suggest breast implant removal because of a predisposition of cancer, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Medical Device Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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