Opinion ID: 197499
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Pedreira

Text: The small bumps that appeared on plaintiff Pedreira's face after her third treatment with Montesinos in September 1989 became quite noticeable four to six weeks later, and have persisted in that state ever since. Although Pedreira did not see the material being injected, Montesinos told Pedreira that she was using bovine collagen. Starting in January or February of 1990, and continuing over the next two years, Pedreira consulted a number of physicians -21- for diagnosis and treatment. These physicians, whom Pedreira told that she had received injections of what she thought was collagen in the areas where the bumps appeared, tried various treatment techniques to no avail. A dermatologist told Pedreira that she should wait, because if it was collagen, the reaction would wear away, and a plastic surgeon stated that there was nothing he could do to help her. After consulting some of the doctors, Pedreira went to Montesinos, who told her to massage the affected area, and to wait because the reaction would wear away. Pedreira later testified that in 1990, when she consulted the plastic surgeon, she did suspect that collagen was the cause of her injury, but that, based on the physicians' and Montesinos' assurances, she assumed the marks would eventually go away. In January 1992, after talking with her friend Gonzalez, Pedreira went to see Dr. Benavent. In his notes following consultation with Pedreira, Dr. Benavent stated that Pedreira had nodules around her nose and mouth that appeared after receiving injections of what was purportedly collagen from a beautician. Like Gonzalez, Pedreira submitted a blood sample to Collagen Corporation for testing, the results of which were negative for the presence of collagen. Finally, Pedreira saw Dr. Wilkinson in September 1989, at which time she asserts she first became aware of the permanency and cause of her facial deformities.