Introduction

Thousands of women have become sick after having breast implants containing silicone gel. The use of the implants was restricted in the early 1990s but many women still have medical symptoms resulting from the implants.

Klein Lyons reached a settlement of $25 million U.S. for the Breast Implant class action with Dow Corning, who had approximately 50% of the breast implant market. The B.C. Supreme Court approved the settlement in February 1999 and the Klein Lyons settlement became part of Dow Corning's bankruptcy reorganization. Until recently, the bankruptcy reorganization was under appeal in the United States causing unexpected delays in proceeding with the settlement in British Columbia. Information regarding Dow Corning Bankruptcy Joint Plan of Reorganization is available on the following websites: www.sfdct.com and www.tortcomm.org.

We are pleased to advise that the appeal process is now complete and June 1, 2004 was set as the effective date of Dow Corning's bankruptcy reorganization plan. The deadline to submit a claim in the Dow Corning /British Columbia and Other Provinces Breast Implant Litigation Settlement was February 1, 2005. You can obtain more information about the Settlement on the Claims Administrator’s website at www.canadianbreastimplantsettlement.com.

Klein Lyons has also reached a settlement in British Columbia of up to $4.3 million in a class action with three manufacturers of silicone gel breast implants: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Baxter Healthcare and 3M. The Settlement Agreement was approved by the B.C. Supreme Court on August 5, 2005. The Settlement Agreement and Claim Forms can be viewed on the Claims Administrator’s website at www.deloitte.com/ca/bb3settlement. The deadline for opting into or out of this settlement was December 2, 2005. The deadline to submit claim forms in the settlement was February 1, 2006.

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