Fw: Aussie Women win $38M in Breast implant battle ~ Austrialian AP

[Guest guest]

From: " ilena rose " <ilena@...>

Sent: Monday, May 21, 2001 6:07 PM

Subject: Aussie Women win $38M in Breast implant battle ~ Austrialian AP

09:11 AEDT Tue 22 May 2001

EXCERPT: " Some 200,000 women worldwide have suffered auto-immune and other

disorders as a result of the silicone implants ... "

Wonder what he is basing that figure on.

I hope he's wrong about this:

EXCERPT: " However, American women may have to wait up to 15 years to see any

compensation due to ongoing appeals in the United States courts. "

Implant victims win 10-year legal battle

More than 3,000 Australian women with faulty breast implants will become the

first in the world to receive compensation.

Melbourne law firm Slater and Gordon confirmed the women would receive

compensation by early next year after a trust to administer the $38.4

million payout was approved in 's Supreme Court on Monday.

The breakthrough comes after a 10-year legal battle.

Slater and Gordon said the Australian victims would receive lump sum

payments of up to $50,000 each.

Implant manufacturers Dow Corning agreed to the compensation deal three

years ago, but payment was delayed as the company restructured its finances

to raise the necessary funds.

However, American women may have to wait up to 15 years to see any

compensation due to ongoing appeals in the United States courts.

Some 200,000 women worldwide have suffered auto-immune and other disorders

as a result of the silicone implants, 80 per cent of which were for cosmetic

purposes.

Slater and Gordon senior partner Gordon said the imminent compensation

payouts were a win for Australian women who had suffered many years of pain

as a result of their failed implants.

" Those who have suffered very serious ruptures have needed multiple

operations, many dozens of operations, " he told ABC radio.

" Sometimes they develop a sensitivity to general anaesthetic and need to

have those operations with a local anaesthetic.

" They can be particularly painful, there can be scarring and hardening and

the worst of the cases are extremely painful. "

One victim said the money would not reimburse her for 29 years of pain and

suffering.

" It won't do anything for me, " said Gail , 55.

" It's not going to get me back any of my health. "

Mrs , of Red Rock near Coffs Harbour, NSW, is currently in remission

with vulval cancer.

She also suffered a multitude of other health problems including heart

complaints, muscle problems and bone disease.

" I don't want the money. I'm past that, " she told AAP.

" I just live everyday with my problems. I'll just probably give it to my

kids. It's not going to make me better.

" I would have preferred someone to stand up and say `we were wrong'.

" They said it was perfectly safe. We were lied to. "

Mrs said she got implants in 1972 after deciding that after having

two children she needed " a bit of a lift " .

Two years after the surgery she developed aches, pain and a burning

sensation in the left breast and shoulder.

" Sometimes I was screaming in bed from the pain in my left breast and I was

ready to get the knife and cut it out myself, " she said.

Nineteen years after having the implants she had them surgically removed,

but continued to suffer pain.

©AAP 2001