Over 1,000 women in Colombia have begun receiving compensation for failed breast implants following a historic ruling in a French court last year, local media reported on Friday.
The Lozano Blanco & Asociados Firm, which represented 1514 women in Colombia, announced that the payment of to their clients of $4,100 by German company TUV Rheinland, which certified the implants, had begun, Samana Magazine reported.
“This ruling not only managed to obtain reparation and compensation for the thousands of women affected, but also set a historic precedent in Colombia and in the world to rigorously and appropriate monitor the manufacturing and handling of this type of prosthesis,” Counsel Nathalie Lozano, one of the people who led the process, said.
The Commercial Court of Toulon in France handed down the landmark ruling in November 2013, which found that TUV — along with French company Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) — acted negligently against its duty to monitor the process quality of the PIP implants.
Around 500,000 women worldwide were found to be at risk of PIP implants failure due to the company’s negligence.
Though the implants were found not to cause cancer, they were made with industrial silicone instead of medical grade silicone and could potentially still cause tumors, causing a number of countries to ban the implants.
Since the ruling, the Court of Toulon has appointed Professor Guy Magalon of Conception Hospital in Marseilles in France to determine the particular expenses that must be paid to the affected women who apply for compensation, El Tiempo newspaper reported.
Magalon’s team, over a period of several months, is expected to thoroughly assesses all damages to the applicants, considering health, economic, psychological, moral and aesthetic aspects, Semana reports.
The total payment of compensation covered by TUV Rheinland is yet to be determined.
MORE: 935 Colombian women sue over faulty breast implants
A total of 1,486 Colombian and 28 English women are represented by Lozano Blanco & Asociados. The positive result opens the door for a number of women worldwide to apply for compensation.
Affected women may still apply
Women who beleive they have been affected by PIP failure may register at the law firm’s website (www.implantespip.com.co), or call 321 384 7283 or 321 434 1960. Registration can also be done via email at implantespip@lozanoblanco.com.
Sources
- Colombianas afectadas por prótesis PIP empezaron a ser indemnizadas (El Tiempo)
- Mujeres afectadas por implantes PIP reciben indemnización (Semana)
