Fw: Australian and NZ woman attacks Dow Corning breast implant payout

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----- Original Message -----

From: " Kathi " <pureheart@...>

Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2002 10:05 AM

Subject: Australian and NZ woman attacks Dow Corning breast implant payout

> The Syndey Morning Herald

>

> http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/09/25/1032734172554.html

>

> Woman attacks breast implant payout

>

> September 25 2002

>

> A New Zealand woman has attacked the size of the payout she

> received from a United States company for the suffering

> caused by their silicone gel breast implants.

>

> Kathy , from Timaru, is one of about six New Zealand

> women who received the Dow Corning silicone breast implants

> in Australia.

>

> The New Zealand women joined about 3000 Australian women

> pursuing the company for compensation through Melbourne law

> company Slater and Gordon after suffering when the implants

> failed.

>

> She recently received a letter from Slater and Gordon telling

> her Dow Corning had offered her $A565.

>

> " I just cried and cried when I received the letter, it was a

> shock. I was hoping that it would be more considering what we

> had to go through, " she said yesterday.

>

> The law firm announced in May it had reached a $A38 million

> settlement with Dow Corning, with individual claims to be

> determined on a case-by-case basis.

>

> The firm said the New Zealanders concerned all had their

> operations done in Australia.

>

> At the time, compensation for individual women was expected

> to range from $A56,000 to $A2000.

>

> Mrs received the faulty implants in 1992 after having

> a double mastectomy for breast cancer while living in Australia.

>

> Within months she experienced " excruciating pain " associated

> with the implants and had them removed and replaced with

> saline implants.

>

> said the low compensation offer was disappointing because

> " I didn't ask to get breast cancer, I didn't have a choice. It

> wasn't for cosmetic reasons to make my boobs bigger or anything

> like that, it was because I had cancer. "

>

> Other women represented by Slater and Gordon have received offers

> of up to $A120,000 but this has been in cases where the harm

> they suffered had been " catastrophic " .

>

> Mrs said: " I have been a victim of Dow Corning. "

>

> The compensation offered to Slater and Gordon's clients has

> come after a long legal battle.

>

> About 200,000 other women worldwide, including 1200 in New

> Zealand, are seeking compensation from Dow Corning through

> the US legal system.

>

> Because of ongoing appeals, they face a wait of possibly

> years for US bankruptcy courts to approve the company's global

> settlement package.

>

> NZPA

>

> posted: RR

>

>