It is the largest class action settlement in history. Manufacturers claim there is no scientific evidence linking silicone breast implants with autoimmune diseases. There are set monetary amounts that will be awarded to women with specific medical conditions. No requirements are needed to prove implants are the cause of their ailments. Women will be allowed to drop out of the settlement.
Companies can also opt out if too few women register claims.
Preliminary approval to class action by Judge Pointer. Clears the way for women to start applying for claims in the settlement. The Mayo Clinic epidemiologic study is published in the New England Journal of Medicine , which finds no increased risk of connective-tissue disease and other disorders that were studied in women with silicone implants. By this date 19,092 individual lawsuits have been filed against Dow Corning. February 1995 Gladys Laas vs Dow Corning.