Montreal woman lead plaintiff in breast implant class action
Karen is one of dozens of Canadians who have suffered serious health issues linked to Allergan textured breast implants.
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A team of Quebec and Canadian lawyers has been given the go-ahead to launch a class action against the breast implant manufacturer Allergan, alleging the implants cause several types of cancer.
The lead plaintiff, a Montreal mother named Karen, was terrified when a shadow showed up on her mammogram in 2019, leading doctors to believe she had a mass in her chest. She was advised by doctors to get her Allergan textured implants removed less than three years after she had them inserted.
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“I was depressed because this is something I did to myself. It was something I’ve always wanted,” she said in an interview. “I cried a lot. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to be with my kids.”
Karen is one of dozens of Canadian women who say they have suffered serious health issues linked to the textured breast implants. A 2019 Health Canada safety review found that 85 per cent of confirmed cases of breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma cases in the country were connected to Allergan’s Biocell textured breast implants. The review concluded that the risk of developing this rare cancer is significantly higher in patients with the Allergan textured breast implants compared to other types.
It wasn’t until Karen noticed one of her breasts had become deformed in 2019 that she learned about the multiple known cancer cases allegedly linked to Allergan textured implants.
Karen said the surgeon, who works at a private clinic in Westmount, reassured her before the surgery in 2017 that there was no cancer risk. She said she paid $9,000 for the surgery and another $10,000 to get them removed.
The class action, known as Kibalian et al. v. Allergan PLC et al., seeks to recover damages for Canadians who were implanted with Allergan textured breast implants between May 31, 1999 and May 29, 2019. Anyone who fits this description is considered a class member.
In addition to breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma, the suit alleges these implants have caused also caused premature rupture and breast implant illness.
Montreal lawyers Joey Zukran from LPC Avocat Inc. and Joel Banon Tiger Banon Inc. are part of the legal team prosecuting the case, along with Vincent Genova of Rochon Genova in Toronto, and Anthony Leoni from Rice Harbut Elliott LLP in Vancouver.
Class members who wish to opt out of the class action must do so before June 30, 2025. Information is available at allerganbreastimplants.ca.
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