Fergus Walsh: British claimants getting less than those in the US

The Dow Corning Corporation, once the world's largest manufacturers of implants, has offered an out of court settlement of more than three billion dollars.

Legal claims were brought by thousands of women who say they have become ill.

Around 170,000 women have filed for compensation from the company following ruptured implants and immune system illnesses which they say have been caused by the silicone.

Diana Zuckerman, who led original Congressional investigation into silicone implants: a lot of women are very ill

The deal means that the women will receive an average of $31,000 each in the form of disease and disability compensation. Women could also choose to receive $5,000 to have the implants removed, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Details will be worked out over the next two months and, if approved by the court, will be submitted to ballot by women with the Dow Corning implants.

Studies of thousands of women have turned up no solid evidence that implants cause ailments, but the issue is still under debate among scientists and in the courts.