At 31, Amanda Martin from Durham fulfilled her long-held dream of breast augmentation surgery. But what began as a confidence boost turned into a nearly two-decade fight against pain, betrayal, and legal battles after discovering her implants were dangerously defective.
Fulfilling a Teenage Dream
Amanda, then a successful personal assistant, decided to undergo breast augmentation in 2002. She wanted to feel more feminine and confident in her body, explaining:
“Because I’m naturally rounder in the lower half and completely flat on top, I couldn’t wear skirts and I felt like a boy when it came to being intimate… it was more of a self-esteem thing.”
She researched thoroughly beforehand, knowing the general risks like rupture or collapse and the eventual need to replace implants. But she never imagined her implants were filled with industrial-grade silicone — essentially “mattress filling.”
The PIP Scandal: Industrial Silicone Instead of Medical Grade
In 2010, the world learned that French company Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) had been using industrial-grade silicone, meant for mattresses and car seats, in breast implants from 2001 onward.
This cheaper silicone was prone to splitting and leaking, leading to silicone seeping inside women’s bodies and causing severe health issues.
Though UK regulators only became aware in 2009 and quickly banned PIP implants in 2010, an estimated 300,000 women in 65 countries had already been affected.
The scandal led to the company’s founder Jean-Claude Mas being jailed for fraud and a French court ordering compensation for victims.
Amanda’s Declining Health and Discovery
From around 2009, Amanda’s health deteriorated drastically. She suffered extreme exhaustion, stabbing pains from nipple to armpit, and brain fog that affected her daily life and work.
When news about PIP implants broke, Amanda contacted her surgeon and was devastated to find out her implants were among those affected.
Her surgeon removed and replaced the implants for free, but the physical and emotional toll lingered.
Legal Battles and Broken Promises
In 2014, Amanda joined a class action claim via the UK firm Stanton Fisher, which represented French and Irish lawyers handling the PIP cases.
She was promised interim payments and eventual compensation if she could prove she had PIP implants.
In 2017, Amanda received a €3,000 interim payment and was told the claims had been won.
But the joy was short-lived. The German safety agency TUV Rheinland, responsible for approving PIP implants without proper testing, appealed part of the ruling.
Because of poor legal handling — including failure to provide all evidence on time — thousands of claims, including Amanda’s, were deemed inadmissible.
Negligence and Financial Hardship
Amanda and others allege that Stanton Fisher and the French lawyers neglected their duty, failed to communicate key challenges, and mishandled evidence.
This led to many victims losing their cases and being forced to repay interim payments, including Amanda, who faces repaying around €3,000 despite only receiving €2,425.
Initially promised a no-win-no-fee arrangement, victims are now burdened with debts and legal fees.
Amanda is disabled, living on benefits, and terrified about how she will repay the money.
“I don’t have that much money… I don’t know how I am going to cope.”
She accuses the legal representatives of treating the case as a “money-making scheme” regardless of the consequences for victims.
Ongoing Fight for Justice
Despite setbacks, Amanda continues to advocate for justice for herself and the thousands of women affected by the PIP scandal.
She stresses:
“Ultimately, we deserve justice. We should seek justice against those who have wronged us.”
Her story highlights the devastating impact of medical malpractice and the critical importance of proper legal representation for victims.
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- Lily Allen Shares First Breast Augmentation Photo Post-David Harbour Split
