Thousands of women who had PIP breast implants could be in line for payouts totalling up to half a billion pounds. Elizabeth Williams, 34, had PIP implants fitted in 2008, and plans to claim compensation
Thousands of British women who had PIP breast implants could be in line for payouts totalling up to half a billion pounds.
There are believed to be more than 50,000 women in the UK who were fitted with the implants before the product was discovered to contain a high level of industrial silicone.
But the deadline for compensation expires today - and there are still many UK women who don’t realise they can claim compensation for their implants.
The scandal came to light after doctors found unexpectedly high numbers of women were suffering from ruptured implants.
The Stanton Fisher Group, a firm of UK financial claims specialists representing PIP patients from all over the world, has said the total payouts for British women could total as much as half a billion pounds.
It is welcome news for the thousands of women in the UK who faced trauma, financial costs and further operations to have their PIP implants removed.
And they are urging women to come forward to start their claims as soon as possible, before the deadline at the end of today.
It comes after many women have been unsuccessfully trying to gain compensation from their individual private clinics and banks.
Solicitor Steven Hulme from Stanton Fisher, said: ‘Anyone living in the UK should consider making a claim now.
‘Women who have had PIP implants simply need to prove they had the surgery undertaken. There is no requirement for the implants to have ruptured or still be in place to pursue a claim.
‘The victims of the PIP breast implant scandal have been cruelly and criminally treated and we are determined to get justice and financial compensation for them.’
PIP implants were sold widely across the world from the mid 1990’s.
There was uproar when it emerged in 2010 that the french firm Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) had been manufacturing the implants using industrial grade silicone intended for use in mattresses.
Jean Claud Mas, the founder of Poly Implant Prothese was jailed for four years last year for fraud at a court in France.
But in November 2013, a court in Toulon, France, ruled that the German safety company TUV Rheinland, which had certified the silicone implants, is liable for having failed to perform its control properly and has to compensate the victims whilst PIP is in bankruptcy.
A law firm is urging women to come forward to start their claims as soon as possible, as the deadline for claiming payments is at the end of today
French lawyer Olivier Aumaitre, who is working closely with Stanton Fisher, discovered that the German company had repeatedly certified the PIP implants and he took them to the French Court where the ruling was made.
The ruling, which is now pending before a Court of Appeal, could make TUV Rheinland liable to pay compensation to up to 300,000 women around the world - including women in the UK.
Mr Hulme added: 'This has opened the door for the thousands of women in the UK and Ireland who had PIP implants to take action in the French Courts.
‘We are pursuing an advance payment of unto £2500 for each of our clients, prior to their final compensation award being decided by the Court, which could be up to £10,000.
It is welcome news for thousands of women in the UK who suffered anxiety, depression and worry after the scandal came to light.
In 2010, it emerged the french firm Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) had been manufacturing implants using industrial grade silicone used in mattresses. Founder Jean Claud Mas (pictured) was jailed for fraud
Elizabeth Williams, 34, who lives in Manchester, had her PIP implants fitted in 2008 at a private clinic, boosting her from an A to a D cup.
Miss Williams, who runs her own sandwich shop, said: ‘After I gave birth to my daughter Georgia, ten, I felt my breast tissue had reduced significantly.
‘Having the implants made me feel much more womanly, but then when I heard about the PIP implants I panicked. I borrowed some money from my family to pay the £2,500 cost of having them removed and new implants put in.
‘But the whole thing left me very depressed. The compensation payouts won’t make up for all the worry. My daughter had to see me going through it all too, and she was very traumatised.’
Mr Hulme added: ‘We want to get the message out there that getting compensation is an accessible process for thousands of UK women.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3014607/Deadline-day-claim-compensation-dodgy-breast-implants-Thousands-women-line-payouts-totalling-500m.html#ixzz3Vbp8LpId
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