Hair Relaxer Litigation: What to Expect if You are Involved in a Lawsuit

Exposure to the carcinogens and endocrine disruptive chemicals found in hair relaxers has been determined by researchers to cause various diseases, including endometriosis, ovarian cancer, and uterine cancer. As of March 2023, these are the only diagnoses for which a person can file a claim related to the usage of a hair relaxer. Our lawyers will need to assess your case to determine if you are entitled to compensation from hair relaxer manufacturers.

Are There Costs Associated With a Hair Relaxer Litigation Lawyer?

No out-of-pocket costs exist for a lawyer to review your case. All cases are addressed on a contingency fee basis. Through the use of contingency fees, the victims of hair relaxer exposure lawsuits can utilize legal services no matter what their financial resources are. You can expect to pay nothing up front by retaining our lawyers. We only receive lawyer fees if we are successful in obtaining money from the manufacturers.

Steps Involved in Assessing a Hair Relaxer Case

Our lawyers consider several factors when evaluating your hair relaxer case, which include completing a case evaluation request form that provides details about your case. After we receive the request form, our legal team will contact you to assess whether you or your loved ones are eligible for financial compensation. If our lawyer determines that we can assist you and you decide to proceed, we will make every effort to ensure that you receive the highest possible compensation.

What Allegations Will Likely Be Raised In Your Hair Relaxer Lawsuit Claim

Throughout the U.S., women are pursuing both ovarian and uterine cancer litigation against L’Oreal as well as other manufacturers of hair relaxers. Some of the most common types of allegations raised in claims related to hair relaxers include the following:

• The manufacturer failed to adequately examine the connection between toxins used in relaxers and cancer
• The manufacturer failed to issue hair relaxer recalls to make sure that consumers were aware of both cancer and other health risks
• The manufacturer failed to warn about the increased risk of ovarian and uterine cancer as well as other side effects associated with hair relaxer products
• The manufacturer gave false and misleading details on labels concerning the safety of hair relaxer products

How Money is Obtained by the Victim of Hair Relaxer Exposure

There is no single answer to how much compensation you can expect to relieve if you have been exposed to a hair relaxer. The amount of compensation that victims can receive is influenced by several factors, which include:

• How long you have used hair relaxer
• How many manufacturers of hair relaxers are involved in a case
• The type of disease/cancer involved
• The severity of the disease/cancer
• Whether the disease/cancer has prevented you from working or limited the number of hours that you used to work
• The pain and distress caused by the disease/cancer
• The stage in which the disease/cancer was found
• Whether you were diagnosed with one or more illnesses

The most robust hair relaxer cases may result in a person receiving an estimated award that can vary widely depending on various factors. Typically, claims related to endometriosis have lower estimated payouts compared to cases involving ovarian or uterine cancer.

Compensation From the Hair Relaxer Lawsuit Helps Victims

The compensation that you receive from a hair relaxer lawsuit can help to pay for a wide range of damages. This includes medical-related costs like surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and other costs associated with medical care.

Compensation can help to pay for job-related losses, including lost wages, reduced earning ability, and other money that you lost in your career as a result of the illness.

Lastly, compensation can also help to pay for pain and suffering as well as the loss of quality of life you experience as a result of the illness.

Recent Updates in Hair Relaxer Litigation

As hair relaxer litigation gains traction, there is likely to be a growing amount of updates and news regarding the lawsuit. As a result, it is important to be up to date with some of the most recent news, which includes:

• On October 22, 2022, the hair relaxer litigation first gained media attention when a lawsuit was filed against L’Oreal involving the manufacturer’s Dark & Lovely product and its potential cause of uterine cancer. The lawsuit came after the publication of a study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute that determined women who used chemical hair relaxers had an increased risk of developing uterine cancer.
• On January 26, 2023, arguments were heard in Multidistrict Litigation about the chemicals found in products, including Dark & Lovely, Just for Me, Olive Oil Relaxer, Cantu Shea Butter, and many others that are known to cause cancer. These products are claimed to have been specifically targeted at African-American women. Manufacturers argued that lawsuits should not be consolidated because they involve various products and defendants.
• On February 6, 2023, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation issued an order consolidating all hair relaxer lawsuits that had been filed in federal courts throughout the country into one multidistrict litigation in the Northern District of Illinois. Currently, approximately over 60 hair relaxer lawsuits have been filed in federal court.

Speak with an Experienced Hair Relaxer Cancer Lawsuit Lawyer Today

You can take comfort in knowing that at the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe. LLP, we take your concerns seriously. Our attorneys will pursue fair compensation for your damages by doing everything possible to make sure you have the strongest case possible. If you believe that you or a loved one has been harmed by a hair relaxer or straightening product and has since been diagnosed with cancer, you should not hesitate to speak with a knowledgeable attorney. Contact our law office today to schedule a free case evaluation.

For a free legal consultation, call 516-358-6900