Hair Relaxer Litigation
There are many hair products that are purchased and used throughout the country, but there is one product that has been the subject of a series of lawsuits filed recently, chemical hair relaxer. Chemical hair relaxer is a product that when used will transform curly hair into straight hair. This product was developed with the intent to sell and market to primarily African American women. Recent studies have begun to link the use of chemical hair relaxers to various illnesses, such as Uterine Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Endometrial Cancer, and numerous other related illnesses.
The lawsuits that have been filed against various manufacturers of hair relaxer products for developing and selling products that have resulted in a large number of women being diagnosed with various series illnesses. These lawsuits have recently been consolidated into a Multi-District Litigation (MDL) in order to have the numerous Plaintiffs heard by the court in their quest for justice against the companies who developed these dangerous products.
Who are the parties involved in this lawsuit?
According to the complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Norther District of Illinois Eastern Division, the Plaintiffs in the lawsuit have suffered personal injuries and/or death as a result of their use of the Defendants’ various hair relaxer products.
The Defendants in the lawsuit are as follows: L’Oreal USA, Inc., SoftSheen-Carson, LLC, Revlon, Inc., Strength of Nature, LLC, Dabur international Limited, Namaste Laboratories, LLC, Dermoviva Skin Essentials, Inc., AFAM Concept, Inc., Parfums de Coeur, Ltd., Beauty Bell Enterprises, LLC, House of Cheatham, LLC, McBride Research Laboratories, Inc., Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc., and Luster Products, Inc.
What is being alleged in the lawsuit?
The Plaintiffs are accusing the Defendants of negligence, defective design, and failure to warn customers of the risks associated with the use of their hair relaxer products. As a result, Plaintiffs have developed the following illnesses that are a result of their use of the Defendants’ products: Uterine Cancer, Breast Cancer, Endometriosis, Endometrial Cancer, Uterine Fibrosis, Uterine Sarcoma, or Ovarian Cancer.
What does this mean for you?
The consequences and harm resulting from the use of dangerous hair relaxers can be profoundly detrimental. Individuals affected may endure serious health issues, escalating medical costs, loss of income or future earning capacity, immeasurable emotional distress, and, tragically, even death. Due to the gravity of the injuries, legal actions stemming from these incidents are fiercely disputed.
Manufacturers and other liable parties often employ exhaustive defense tactics, underscoring the crucial need for assertive representation. Though hair relaxers have been deemed safe by experts and industry leaders, recent research has associated extended exposure to the hazardous chemicals in these relaxers with the development of numerous serious illnesses.
What are the qualifications to be part of the lawsuit?
In order to be part of the lawsuit you must meet the following requirements:
· You must have been a habitual user or chemical hair relaxer, either at home or at a salon.
· You must be diagnosed with one of the injuries below:
- Uterine cancer
- Uterine fibroids
- Uterine sarcoma
- Endometriosis
- Endometrial cancer
- Ovarian cancer
· You must have sustained a meaningful loss as a result of your injury such as:
- Financial loss
- Physical loss
- Emotional loss
What is next?
The Multi-District Litigation has been proceeding in Illinois since February 2023 and has been progressing through the year, and there will be many significant developments throughout the remainder of the litigation. As of October 2023, there were nearly 6,000 pending cases in the hair relaxer MDL, and it is anticipated that many more cases will be added in the new year.