Over the past few years, a lot of studies have pointed to links between breast implants and cancer. A lot of lawsuits have also been filed against breast implant companies for misleading individuals into thinking that they are safe.
One such lawsuit that we will discuss here involves Allergan breast implants. You will know about the allegations, injuries, and lawsuits due to the breast implant.
Allergan Breast Implant Lawsuits: An Overview
Allergan is a global pharmaceutical company based in Ireland. The company produces different types of breast implants and tissue expanders. Many people in the US and abroad have filed a lawsuit against the company for knowingly selling breast implants linked to cancer.
Lawsuits filed against Allergan centers around textured breast implants and tissue expanders that have been implicated in a serious type of cancer.
Dangers of Allergan’s Textured Breast Implants
Many studies have found a connection between textured breast implants and cancer. A report by the US Food and Drug Control Authority in 2017 had found a link between textured breast implants and cancer.[1] According to the FDA report, textured breast implants can cause a rare form of cancer known as Breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma, or BIA-ALCL. The disease is not breast cancer but a type of non-Hodgkin’s cancer that affects the immune system.
Various other studies carried out the same year had confirmed the link between textured breast implants and cancer. One study published in the Journal of American Society of Plastic Journals in 2017 found that textured breast implants were associated with a high risk of BIA-ALCL among women in Australia and New Zealand.[2] The authors had found that the prevalent low risk of cancer associated with textured implant was due to a lack of clinical histories regarding the condition. The patients who had developed cancer had no history of BIA-ALCL prior to the implant.
Another study that was published in JAMA Surgery Journal in the same year had also found a clear link between cancer and textured breast implants.[3] The study found that most women developed cancer about 10 years after breast implant surgery.
BIA-ALCL is treatable through surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. However, treatment costs usually run into thousands of dollars. Women who had received textured breast implants have two options: go for the surgery or live with the fear of getting cancer.
While the FDA has recommended against going for surgery if there are no symptoms, many women opt for removal of the implants to reduce the risk of cancer. But these results in great financial hardships since the cost of diagnosis, medications, and surgery are expensive.
Previous Lawsuits Against Allergan
A lot of lawsuits have been filed against Allergan for selling dangerous breast implants. Most of the lawsuits allege that the company misled the plaintiffs into believing that the textured breast implants were safe.
Despite warnings about the risk of cancer and textured breast implants, Allergan continued to sell the products to the public. In the US, the company had not taken textured breast implants off the market despite regulators in France denying license in December 2018 for the sale of the products due to the connection with cancer.[4]
Allergan had recalled the products only after the FDA had ordered a recall of textured breast products in July 2019.[5]
Two women in Florida had filed a class-action lawsuit against Allergan in October this year seeking compensation for cost to remove the dangerous breast implants.[6] The lawsuit sought compensation amounting to $5 million due to damages from the implant manufacturer. According to the lawsuit, Allergan failed to inform customers about the dangers of the breast implant. The lawsuit had alleged that Allergan violated the state’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practice Act.
Another lawsuit was also filed in September this year by two women in Michigan and California.[7] The women sought compensation for medical costs incurred in removing Allergan’s textured breast implant. One of the women had caught BIA-ALCL cancer due to the implant.
A joint lawsuit against Allergan breast implant was also filed in August this year in New Jersey. The lawsuit alleges that the plaintiffs had incurred thousands of dollars removing the breast implants. As per the lawsuit, Allergan should repay the plaintiff for the damages in removing the dangerous implants.
Most of the lawsuits against Allergan’s breast implant are ongoing. Up till now, the company has not made any payments in compensation for the damages. But given the facts surrounding the case, a favorable outcome is expected of the lawsuits.
What You Should Do If Received Allergan Breast Implant?
If you have undergone a breast implant surgery involving Allergan’s textured implants, you should immediately contact a health care professional.
You should also get a checkup to detect symptoms of cancer. BIA-ALCL symptoms include pain and swelling at the site of the implant. Immediately notify your GP if you notice a lump or pain in the area of the implant.
Early detection is important for the treatment of BIA-ALCL. Treatment will be difficult if cancer has spread to adjacent areas. BIA-ALCL cancer can cause death if it is not treated early.
Once you have obtained a medical evaluation, you should get in touch with an experienced personal injury attorney for an evaluation of your case. A lawsuit will allow you to claim damages associated with the dangerous breast implants. You can recover the following damages associated with the implants.
- Cost of treating cancer due to breast implant
- Surgical cost of removing the dental implant
- Pain and suffering due to cancer caused by the dental implant
- Loss of income due to cancer treatment
An attorney will guide you through the process involved in filing a lawsuit against the breast implant manufacturing company. Meeting court requirements is one of the invaluable services of a personal injury attorney. You will know about the required documents for filing a case against the at-fault party. The services of a professional attorney will also prove invaluable during the discovery phase of the lawsuit.
Make sure you contact a professional attorney within the prescribed time limit for personal injury cases. The time limit for filing a case differs in each state. In some states, you have to file a case as early as 12 months after an injury.
Conclusion
Allergan breast implants are known to cause cancer. Lawsuits are currently ongoing against the manufacturing company for not revealing risks related to the implants. The lawsuits seek compensation for the damages due to breast implants.
Personal injury attorneys in various states are at the moment reviewing Allergan breast implant cases. In case you have received an Allergan breast implant, you should contact a professional personal injury lawyer to file a class-action lawsuit. A professional lawyer will inform you about the legal options to seek compensation from the manufacturing company.
References
[1] https://www.breastcancer.org/research-news/fda-updates-on-textured-implants-and-cancer
[2] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/article-abstract/2657539
[3] https://www.icij.org/investigations/implant-files/allergan-textured-breast-implants-recalled-in-europe-pending-safety-review/
[4] https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/safety-communications/fda-requests-allergan-voluntarily-recall-natrelle-biocell-textured-breast-implants-and-tissue
[5] https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/2-florida-women-file-5-million-lawsuit-over-recalled-allergan-breast-implants/ar-AAJtBjI
[6] https://www.massdevice.com/allergan-sued-over-textured-breast-implants/
[7] https://www.drugwatch.com/allergan-breast-implants/lawsuits/