According to Fox News, a French company is accused of selling faulty and dangerous breast implants. The head of the company apologized for the manufacturing errors just days after he denied that a homemade gel that he was filling the implants with was a danger to women.
The breast implant accident, which put thousands of women at risk, has created a global health scare, and thousands of lawsuits. Inspectors didn't discover eth vats of industrial-grade silicone outside the French company until 2010. The company responsible is known as Poly Implant Prothese (PIP.) The dangerous gel has been implemented into the breast implants created by the company since 1992, which means that for 20 years patients have been put at risk because of implants using the substance. The founder and chief executive of the company formally apologized for the accident on the sixth day of his trial today.
He is now being tried for aggravated fraud, along with four PIP executives who were also involved in the creation of the dangerous gel. The individuals are expected to remain on trial until May. If convicted, each will receive a 5-year prison sentence as well as fines. In addition to the criminal trial, 5,000 civil suits have been filed against the company, and 220 of the lawsuits have come from plaintiffs outside of the country of France.
In his formal apology, the Frenchman admitted that he understands that many women are suffering from anxiety syndrome after receiving breast implants from PIP and that he is sympathetic to their suffering. There have been about 300,000 sets of implants sold to women all throughout the world over the course of a decade and the implants were not pulled off of the medical market until March 2010 for dangers. The French government recommends that women who have received PIP implants have them removed due to the high rupture rates associated with the product.
As of right now, the French government has not been able to prove a link between the implants and breast cancer. Those who have been harmed by the breast implants have the right to seek compensation from the company because the breast implant manufacturer was responsible for adhering to government safety standards and making a product that was reliable and safe for those who have been injured by it.
When a breast implant ruptures, it can be excruciatingly painful and also frustrating. A rupture implant will call for another surgery, which will often come with a lengthy recovery time. The additional surgery will cost money, and will be painful just as the original reconstructive breast surgery was. In some breast implants, the gel can even be toxic to the body or may cause other complications like a severe allergic reaction.
When you receive any sort of implant, you want to make sure that the product has been approved by the FDA for use. If it has not, you should politely decline when asked if you would like to use the product. If your physician does not use approved products, and puts you at-risk, then you may have the right to seek compensation. With a dedicated and hardworking attorney on your side, you can litigate against the party at fault and seek both punitive and compensatory damages.
In situations where a company is already involved in a criminal trial regarding a defective product, it is often easier to prove your case and evidence that you deserve a financial reward. Whether you are dealing with plastic surgery malpractice, defective medical products, negligent doctors or hospital staff, dental malpractice, pediatric malpractice, or another type of medical issue, hire a local medical malpractice attorney today!