Core Eligibility Criteria for an Allergan Breast Implant Claim
The primary eligibility pathway for MDL 2921 requires: (1) You received Allergan BIOCELL textured breast implants — including Natrelle 410, Natrelle Silicone and Saline Textured lines, Natrelle Inspira Textured, McGhan Textured, or BIOCELL Tissue Expanders — before July 24, 2019. (2) You were diagnosed with BIA-ALCL at any stage (IA through IV), OR you underwent explant surgery motivated by the recall, OR you are experiencing breast implant illness symptoms. The strongest claims involve BIA-ALCL diagnoses, but all three pathways have been accepted in MDL 2921.
Can I File If My Implants Were Already Removed?
Yes. Implant removal does not disqualify you from filing a claim. Many MDL 2921 plaintiffs had their implants removed before, during, or after their BIA-ALCL diagnosis. If you had a BIA-ALCL diagnosis and subsequently had your implants removed as part of treatment, your claim is based on the cancer diagnosis and treatment. If you had implants removed due to the recall without a cancer diagnosis, your claim is based on surgery costs, distress, and any complications. If you had BIOCELL tissue expanders that were later exchanged for smooth implants, the period of BIOCELL exposure may still support a claim.
Special Eligibility Considerations
Women who received BIOCELL implants or tissue expanders as part of post-mastectomy breast cancer reconstruction are fully eligible and represent a particularly compelling plaintiff class. Women who received BIOCELL implants outside the United States through a U.S.-trained or U.S.-licensed surgeon may have eligibility depending on where the surgery occurred and applicable jurisdiction. Women who have not yet been diagnosed with BIA-ALCL but have BIOCELL implants in place should consult an attorney now to understand their statute of limitations position before a possible future diagnosis. Early consultation preserves your options regardless of current health status.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Pages
BIA-ALCL is not breast cancer — it is a T-cell lymphoma of the immune system that develops in the fluid or capsule surrounding Allergan BIOCELL textured implants. It is often curable when caught early, but advanced stages require chemotherapy and carry serious health consequences.
Learn moreBIA-ALCL staging — from Stage IA (confined to seroma fluid) through Stage IV (distant metastases) — is the single most important factor in determining the value of an Allergan breast implant lawsuit. Early-stage cases are curable; advanced stages require chemotherapy and carry worse prognosis and significantly higher compensation.
Learn moreThe July 24, 2019 Allergan BIOCELL recall was the largest breast implant recall in FDA history. It covered 33+ product lines after the FDA determined BIOCELL recipients faced a 6x elevated risk of BIA-ALCL lymphoma. French regulators had recalled the same product a year earlier in 2018.
Learn moreBreast implant illness (BII) is a constellation of systemic symptoms — fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, hair loss — reported by implant patients. Unlike BIA-ALCL, BII is not yet a formally recognized diagnosis, but BII plaintiffs with Allergan BIOCELL implants are included in MDL 2921 litigation.
Learn moreThe Allergan Natrelle 410 Highly Cohesive Anatomically Shaped implant was the most widely used recalled product and is at the center of MDL 2921. McGhan textured implants — an earlier Allergan brand — are also covered by the July 2019 recall. If you received either product, you may have a claim.
Learn moreWomen who received Allergan BIOCELL textured implants or tissue expanders as part of post-mastectomy breast reconstruction after breast cancer are a distinct and especially sympathetic plaintiff class in MDL 2921. They fought breast cancer once — and Allergan's recalled product put them at risk of a second cancer.
Learn moreThe FDA does not recommend prophylactic removal of Allergan BIOCELL implants for asymptomatic patients. However, women who chose explantation after the recall may have legal claims for surgery costs. Women with BIA-ALCL symptoms require immediate medical evaluation — not observation.
Learn moreNo global Allergan BIOCELL settlement has been announced as of February 2026. The October 2026 bellwether trial will drive settlement negotiations. Based on comparable medical device MDLs, BIA-ALCL Stage IA cases may settle in the $50,000–$300,000 range; Stage IV cases may command $1,000,000–$3,000,000 or more.
Learn moreThe statute of limitations for Allergan BIOCELL claims is typically 2 to 3 years from discovery — meaning from BIA-ALCL diagnosis, not from implant placement or recall date. Discovery rule protections apply in most states. Consult an attorney immediately — deadlines are strict and MDL tolling is not automatic.
Learn moreAllergan Breast Implant Lawsuit Lawsuit
Allergan (now owned by AbbVie) manufactured BIOCELL textured breast implants — including the widely used Natrelle 410 — that were found to cause breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), a rare but serious T-cell lymphoma of the immune system. The FDA determined that women with Allergan BIOCELL implants were approximately six times more likely to develop BIA-ALCL than women with implants from other manufacturers. On July 24, 2019, Allergan initiated a worldwide recall of all BIOCELL textured breast implants and tissue expanders. As of June 2023, the FDA had received 1,264 BIA-ALCL reports globally, with 1,079 — representing 85% of all cases — involving Allergan implants. Sixty-three deaths have been reported, with 37 linked to Allergan products. MDL 2921, In re Allergan BIOCELL Textured Breast Implant Products Liability Litigation, is pending before Judge Michael Martinotti in the District of New Jersey with approximately 1,400 cases. The first bellwether trial is scheduled for October 2026. Women who received Allergan BIOCELL textured implants, were diagnosed with BIA-ALCL, or underwent implant removal due to the recall may have viable legal claims.
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