New Zealanders in breast implant settlement

About six are among more than 3000 women to become the first in the world to receive compensation for faulty breast implants, a Melbourne law firm said yesterday.

The women agreed to a $A38 million ($47.4 million) settlement with United States manufacturer Dow Corning. Individual claims will be determined case by case.

Melbourne law firm Slater and Gordon represented most of the claimants, and said the New Zealanders concerned had their operations done in Australia.

The deal was confirmed this week after a trust to administer the payout was approved in the Victorian Supreme Court.

Compensation for individual women is expected to range from $A2000 to $A56,000.

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 potential wait of years for US bankruptcy courts to approve the company's global settlement package.

New Zealanders cannot pursue their claims through the New Zealand courts because of the country's accident compensation legislation.

- NZPA