Hair relaxers, a staple in the beauty routines of millions of African American women, have recently come under scrutiny due to emerging scientific research linking their chemicals to uterine cancer. As a result, a surge of product liability lawsuits has been filed against manufacturers, seeking compensation for women who have used these products and subsequently been diagnosed with uterine cancer. This article explores the latest updates on the Hair relaxer lawsuit, the chemicals in these products, and the legal implications surrounding this complex and evolving issue.
Hair Relaxer Class Action Lawsuit Updates:
Recent developments show the hair relaxer class action lawsuit’s progress. Judge Rowland’s acceptance of the plaintiffs’ foreign-sold goods discovery petition is noteworthy. Defendants must respond interrogatories by February 29, 2024.
The January 8, 2024 update plans bellwether trials. The first trial is November 3, 2025, and the second February 2, 2026. Trial dates may seem distant, but multidistrict litigation relies on them. Bellwether cases show jurors’ responses to evidence. Larger judgments mean larger settlements.
November 18, 2022 – Class Action Sought:
Plaintiffs’ lawyers asked the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) to combine hair relaxer lawsuits into a class action MDL. Four federal district courts have nine hair relaxer lawsuits with 13 plaintiffs. The allegations state hair relaxers induce uterine cancer, prompting consolidation.
Motion proposes awarding MDL to Judge Mary Rowland in Northern District of Illinois (Chicago). Defendants include L’Oreal USA, Inc. and several smaller non-public companies. Possible class action MDL aggregation illustrates the legal battle’s size. Read about relaxer in https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_relaxer.
Hair Relaxers Contain Harmful Chemicals:
Black ladies use relaxers to straighten their hair. These products flatten and straighten hair by modifying protein structure using powerful chemicals. Most hair relaxers include phthalates. EDCs like phthalates damage hormone receptors.
DEHP, a synthetic ingredient in hair relaxers, may cause cancer. DEHP may cause reproductive dysfunction, infertility, and developmental abnormalities. Hair relaxers are widely used, although consumers may not have known their health risks.
Ovarian Cancer Risk:
Hair relaxers may cause ovarian and uterine cancer. In 2021, four chemical hair relaxer uses increased ovarian cancer risk by 50%. Late detection lowers the 5-year survival rate of ovarian cancer, which is rare with 20,000 cases per year in the U.S.
Cancer hair relaxer lawsuits:
Chicago federal court received Mitchell v. L’Oreal, et al. (1:22-cv-5815), the first hair relaxer and uterine cancer product liability lawsuit. After taking hair relaxers since childhood, Missouri native Jenny Mitchell was diagnosed with uterine cancer aged 28. Mitchell alleges that L’Oreal USA, Inc. knew or should have known about their products’ cancer risks.
Legal Limitations and Discovery:
People considering hair relaxer claims must grasp the statute of limitations. State tort claim limitations range from 2 to 6 years. Discovery usually delays the limitation period until the plaintiff discovers grounds to sue. The discovery rule in hair relaxer lawsuits accepts that buyers may not have known about cancer risks until current scientific studies.
Conclusion:
When it comes to the aspect of consumer rights, this specific lawsuit holds much hair. The companies can also take a very important lesson here about product liability. Most importantly, in case of public health, this case was a very important one. As more and more such trials are coming into focus, one needs to be aware of the company malpractices.
