California IN BRIEF : SAN FRANCISCO : Bad Breast Implant Brings Jury Award

A federal court jury awarded $7.3 million in damages to a woman after finding that her Dow Corning silicone breast implant had ruptured, causing a painful, permanent immune-system disease. A lawyer for Mariann Hopkins of Sebastopol said the damages were the largest in any of the four breast implant trials held in the nation so far. The six-member jury found that the implant was designed and manufactured defectively, and that Dow Corning had failed to warn Hopkins of the risks of the device, had breached its warranty and had committed fraud. The jury awarded Hopkins $840,000 in compensation for economic losses and pain, and $6.5 million in punitive damages. The Midland, Mich.-based company will appeal, its lawyer said.