Nine chemical hair straighteners lawsuits filed by women diagnosed with cancer
L’Oreal USA Inc and other companies that manufacture chemical hair straighteners or hair relaxers are facing at least nine lawsuits filed on behalf of women that were diagnosed with cancer after using these products. Last month, a study published by the National Institutes of Health revealed that women who use hair straighteners or relaxers may be more likely to develop ovarian cancer.
According to the NIH study, women who used chemical hair straighteners or hair relaxers multiple times per year were more than twice as likely to develop ovarian cancer than women who never used these products. Hair straighteners and relaxers have also been linked to an increased risk of uterine cancer and endometrial cancer.
Black women are the most common users of hair straighteners and relaxer brands such as Luster’s, Namaste, SoftSheen Carson, and Strength of Nature. As a result, the number of women of African-American descent who are diagnosed with uterine cancer or other cancers linked to these products may be much higher than women of other ethnicities.
Another study published by the NIH earlier this year found that the number of uterine cancer cases in the United States has been increasing in recent years. The study also found that uterine cancer rates in the U.S. are highest among Black women.
Lawsuits Filed Against Hair Straighteners & Relaxers Manufacturers
The first lawsuit against manufacturers of chemical hair straighteners or relaxers was filed just days after the publication of the NIH study by Jennifer Mitchell, a Black Missouri woman who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer after years of using L’Oreal chemical hair straighteners. Mitchell underwent a total hysterectomy as a result of her ovarian cancer diagnosis.
In the weeks following this lawsuit, at least eight other chemical hair straighteners or hair relaxers lawsuits have been filed against companies who manufacture these products. This month, several lawyers representing women who were diagnosed with cancer filed a motion to consolidate these cases in Illinois federal court. The decision as to whether to consolidate the cases will be made by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation.
One of the attorneys representing Mitchell in her lawsuit against L’Oreal said that their firm investigated the link between chemical hair straighteners and ovarian cancer more than a year ago. It wasn’t until the publication of the NIH study – which provided the first definitive evidence of the link between hair straighteners or relaxers and an increased cancer risk – that the firm was able to file the first case.
Legal experts predict that many more women who used chemical hair straighteners or hair relaxers and were diagnosed with cancer will file lawsuits against L’Oreal or other manufacturers in the coming months.
Free Legal Consultation for Women with Cancer
If you or a loved one used chemical hair straighteners or hair relaxers and were diagnosed with uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, or endometrial cancer, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit and receive compensation for your injuries.
For a free legal consultation with an attorney to find our whether you may qualify to file a case, contact the lawyers at Hissey Mulderig & Friend by calling toll-free at 1-866-806-8117, or by filling out our free case evaluation form on the right side of this page.