German court hears first lawsuit in breast implant scandal

KARLSRUHE, Germany (AFP) - A German court on Tuesday began hearing the country's first lawsuit over a health scandal surrounding French-made breast implants found to leak silicone into women's bodies.

The regional court in the south-western city of Karlsruhe opened the case brought by a 40-year-old woman who opted for the implants from French manufacturer Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) in 2007 after three pregnancies.

"With her lawsuit, the plaintiff is seeking an award primarily for pain and suffering of 20,000-30,000 euros (S$31,884 - S$47,826) from five defendants based on various legal aspects," the court said in a statement.

The plaintiff had paid 5,800 euros for implants before learning in 2010 after the scandal broke that they were filled with a sub-standard silicone gel.