Chemical Relaxer Class Action Lawsuits
UPDATE NOVEMBER 2023: Hair Relaxer Multi-District Litigation: Judge Allows Hair Relaxer Claims to Proceed
In the past couple of months, chemical hair relaxer lawsuits have been popping up in the United States. Over 100 hair cancer hair relaxer lawsuits have been filed; thousands of more claims are expected to be filed. These class action lawsuits claim that women that used chemical relaxers may have been exposed to chemicals such as phthalates.
What Are Phthalates?
Phthalates are chemicals that are used to make plastics more flexible and durable. They are also found in personal care products such as hair products and cosmetics. A high level of exposure to these chemicals may be harmful to people and may cause health-related issues such as cancer and reproductive disorders.
Lawsuits Filed Against L’Oréal Were from Women Who Claimed L’Oréal Hair Straighteners Caused Them to be Diagnosed with Cancer
In October of 2022, CNN published a story about a woman who filed a lawsuit against L’Oréal claiming that the chemical hair straightening products she used are linked to her Cancer. Since then, many other lawsuits have come about regarding hair relaxers related to serious illnesses including certain types of cancers. Some of these lawsuits also pertain to hair relaxers containing Formaldehyde.
What Are Chemical Hair Relaxer Lawsuits Claiming?
Chemical hair relaxer lawsuits claim that people who are exposed to certain chemicals found in hair relaxers such as phthalates may have caused people to develop serious illnesses. These types of diseases may include uterine or ovarian cancer as well as the severity of uterine fibroids.
What Is the Criteria for People Who Used Chemical Hair Relaxers and Were Diagnosed with Illnesses Such as Uterine and Ovarian Cancer and Uterine Fibroids?
- The person needs to have had at least four exposures to hair relaxers or hair straightening treatments that contained Phthalates or Formaldehyde in a one-year period.
- The person was later diagnosed with one of the following illnesses: Uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, or uterine fibroids with hysterectomy.
How Do Chemical Hair Relaxer Brands Misrepresent What Ingredients Are in Their Products?
Many beauty and chemical relaxer brands mislabel the ingredients in their hair relaxers and even omit dangerous chemicals and toxins from their ingredient label. Consumers are left in the dark because these manufacturers have withheld pertinent safety information from their customers.
FDA’s Role in Protecting Consumers
Even though the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has laws in place under the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act which explicitly prohibits these beauty brands from selling or marketing hair, cosmetic, and beauty products that may contain harmful ingredients or toxins and could be harmful to humans; unfortunately, these companies choose to break the law.
What Role Does the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) Play?
The JPML met on January 26, 2023, to determine if all the lawsuits that were filed pertaining to women who were diagnosed with cancers such as uterine or ovarian, or uterine fibroids should be grouped together or not.
Types of Chemical Relaxers That Exposed Black Women to Dangerous Chemicals from the Use of Chemical Hair Relaxers
Chemical hair straightener brands such as TBB Naturals and Just for Me by Strength of Global LLC, Soft and Beautify and Motions by Nature Global, LLC Dark & Lovely and Optimum by L’Oréal, Softsheen-Carson, ORS Olive Oil by Namaste Laboratories, LLC, and other hair relaxers are currently being investigated for potential connections to these dangerous chemicals.
These beauty brands marketed these hair relaxers as “safe” year after year, however; recent studies indicate that these products may have potentially exposed women to toxic chemicals such as phthalates.
It is Important to Know the Statute of Limitations for Your State
If a claim is not brought within the Statute of Limitations, you may be forever barred from filing a claim. Please consult with a local attorney to discuss your situation and applicable laws.
Contact Clark Law Firm P.C. to Get More Information on Chemical Relaxer Lawsuit Claims
If you meet the criteria for the chemical relaxer class action lawsuits, contact Clark Law Firm P.C. today to discuss your potential case. Call us at 1-877-841-8855 to discuss your case or chat with us online via our live chat feature. Our experienced attorneys are here to guide you with your lawsuit claim.
