Breast implant lawsuit claims center on Allergan's recalled BIOCELL textured implants and BIA-ALCL, a lymphoma usually found in the scar tissue and fluid near an implant. In June 2026 AbbVie reported an agreement to resolve substantially all U.S. ALCL lawsuits, with no amount disclosed, while MDL 2921 in New Jersey still listed 1,370 pending actions on November 2, 2026.
Updates on Breast Implant Lawsuit
This article supports TortAdvisor's Breast Implant Lawsuit Research and Medical Device Lawsuits Hub. For the broader lawsuit directory, visit Medical Device Lawsuits Research. Breast implant lawsuit: Patients considering a legal claim in 2026 may be researching Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), recalled textured implants, implant rupture, revision or explant surgery, or systemic symptoms [...]
Key facts (as of November 2026)
- Nov. 2, 2026: 1,370 actions pending in MDL 2921 before Judge Brian R. Martinotti (JPML).
- July 13, 2026: The court set the first bellwether trial for November 2, 2026.
- June 2026: AbbVie agreed to resolve substantially all U.S.-based ALCL lawsuits, to be dismissed with prejudice; no amount was disclosed.
- June 30, 2024: FDA's medical device report data counted 1,380 BIA-ALCL cases and 64 deaths worldwide, 86% involving Allergan implants.
- July 24, 2019: FDA asked Allergan to recall BIOCELL textured implants and tissue expanders, citing 573 cases and 33 deaths at the time.
What the breast implant lawsuits claim
Plaintiffs generally allege that they developed, or may develop, BIA-ALCL or other injuries from BIOCELL textured breast implants, which were withdrawn from worldwide markets in 2019. According to AbbVie's securities filing, they generally seek monetary damages, medical monitoring and attorneys' fees. FDA describes BIA-ALCL as a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, not breast cancer, and says the risk is higher with textured-surface implants than smooth ones.
Where the litigation stands
AbbVie's Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2026 reports the June 2026 ALCL agreement without any settlement amount; its roughly $1.7 billion litigation accrual is company-wide, not a breast implant figure. The same filing lists about 1,300 other lawsuits in the MDL, about 475 in U.S. state courts and about 1,080 abroad. On July 13, 2026, Judge Martinotti set the Henson case for the first bellwether trial on November 2, 2026, with the Rabin case to follow.
Who may qualify
People who received BIOCELL textured implants or tissue expanders may have a claim, particularly if they were diagnosed with BIA-ALCL or had implants removed. Anyone with an ALCL lawsuit already on file may be covered by the June 2026 agreement, whose terms are not public. Implant records, such as device stickers or operative reports, and any pathology or removal records generally matter most.
Deadlines and next steps
Statutes of limitations vary by state and may run from diagnosis, from removal surgery or from when the link to the implant was discovered. Read the full breast implant lawsuit guide for the records to gather, and see our settlement amounts hub for why no per-claimant figure has been published.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Allergan BIA-ALCL settlement?
AbbVie has not disclosed an amount. Its quarterly filing says only that in June 2026 it reached an agreement to resolve substantially all U.S.-based ALCL lawsuits, which will be dismissed with prejudice. The roughly $1.7 billion litigation accrual in the same filing covers all of the company's litigation, so it should not be read as a breast implant settlement figure.
What is BIA-ALCL and what are its symptoms?
FDA describes BIA-ALCL as a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer of the immune system, usually found in the scar tissue and fluid near the implant. The main signs are persistent swelling, a mass or pain around the implant, often appearing years after implant placement. FDA says the risk is higher with textured implants than with smooth ones.
Should textured implants be removed if I have no symptoms?
When it requested the 2019 BIOCELL recall, FDA said it does not recommend removing implants in patients without symptoms, because surgery carries its own risks. Anyone with swelling, a lump or pain near an implant should see their doctor. A medical decision about removal is separate from a legal claim, and removal records may matter if you pursue one.
Sources
- U.S. FDA – FDA requests Allergan recall certain textured breast implants (July 24, 2019)
- U.S. FDA – Medical Device Reports of Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma
- U.S. FDA – Questions and Answers about BIA-ALCL
- AbbVie Inc. – Form 10-Q legal proceedings note (period ended June 30, 2026), SEC EDGAR
- U.S. District Court, D.N.J. – MDL 2921 bellwether trial opinion and order (July 13, 2026)
- Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation – Pending MDL Dockets by Actions Pending (Nov. 2, 2026)
Your deadline runs even while an MDL is pending
Joining a mass tort still requires filing your own case on time. State statutes of limitations usually keep running while bellwether trials and settlement talks go on.
Free · Confidential · No obligation
Free Breast Implant Case Review
Tell us what happened and a trained case advisor will review it. You choose whether you want to be contacted.
- 1Share the basicsThe product, your injury and the dates.
- 2A case advisor reviews itAgainst the criteria in active mass torts.
- 3You decide what happens nextNo cost and no obligation.
- Live case countsFrom the JPML monthly report
- Every answer is citedEach answer links its primary source
- Free and confidentialNo cost and no obligation to continue
- Not a law firmA trained case advisor makes the first contact
Prefer to talk it through?
TortAdvisor is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. A trained case advisor, not an attorney, may make the first contact. See our partner list and privacy policy.
Filter Posts
Browse by Category
