
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, October 31, 1995                   TAG: 9510310105
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RENO, NEV.                                LENGTH: Short

$10 MILLION AWARD IN IMPLANT CLAIM

Dow Chemical Co. must pay $10 million in punitive damages to a woman who blames her ill health on leaky silicone breast implants, a jury ruled Monday.

The Washoe District Court jury on Saturday had awarded Charlotte Mahlum $3.9 million to compensate her for her losses. It deliberated only 45 minutes Monday before awarding the additional damages as punishment for wrongdoing.

``I'm stunned. Maybe now these big companies - these doctors - will understand we're not crazy, we're sick,'' Mahlum said after the verdict. ``There is no amount of money whatsoever that could give me back my health.''

Saturday's verdict was the first reached solely against the parent company of Dow Corning Corp., which for years was the leading manufacturer of silicone breast implants.

by CNB