As the hair relaxer lawsuits continue to grow, we must look back at where this all started. In October 2022, the National Institute of Health published a study establishing a link between chemical hair straighteners and uterine cancers. After the study was published, lawsuits began to be filed in federal courts. The initial suits were in New York, Illinois, and California district courts. At the time of this writing, many more lawsuits have been filed in federal courts across the country. Let’s break down the cases filed to date. If you are eligible for a lawsuit, you must speak to a New Jersey mass tort lawyer immediately.
The side effects of chemical hair straighteners
Women who use chemical hair straighteners for years can suffer a slew of injuries that can harm their reproductive health and lead to infertility. Plaintiffs for these cases are reporting cancer as the primary injury. Hair relaxer cases in all 50 states will have the following injuries:
● Breast cancer
● Ovarian cancer
● Uterine fibroids
● Uterine cancer
● Endometriosis
Treatment is brutal for these injuries and leaves women with years of pain and financial burdens. You must speak to a New Jersey hair straightener mass tort lawyer to discuss your next steps.
Lawsuit in October 2022
October was the biggest month for these lawsuits, and many women came forward once they found out their hair products caused cancer and other issues. Uterine cancer lawsuits include:
● Terry Moore in Illinois against Dark & Lovely, Motions, Optimum and African Pride
● Rhonda Terrell in New York against Motions, Dark & Lovely, and Soft & Beautiful
● Jenny Mitchell in Illinois against Motions, Dark & Lovely, and ORS Olive Oil
Uterine fibroids cases were prevalent in the October filings with the following:
● Keaira Gamble in Georgia against Motions, ORS Olive Oil, and Just for Me
● Mahogany Lee in Georgia against Motions, Optimum, Dark & Lovely, and African Pride
● Rugiatu Bhonopha in California against Dark & Lovely, ORS Olive Oil, and Just for Me
There was also one filing for endometriosis by Keaira Gamble from Georgia.
Lawsuits in November 2022
November saw an influx of cases being filed for uterine and breast cancer. The uterine cancer lawsuits are as follows:
● Jackie Bronwleee in Ohio against Dark & Lovely, Optimum, and Just for Me
● Bernadette Gordon in Illinois against Dark & Lovely
● Timika Smith in Illinois against Dark & Lovely, Just for Me, and Cantu Shea Butter
● Diane Grant in Illinois against Care Free Curl, Optimum, Dark & Lovely, and Motions
Bernadette Gordon in Illinois also filed one breast cancer case against Just for Me. Shaquita Davis in Illinois also filed against ORS Olive Oil, Motions, SoftSheen, and Just for Me for uterine fibroids and endometriosis.
Lawsuits for December 2022
Due to the holidays, December saw fewer cases filed but still a substantial amount, with five being filed in federal court. Four cases were filed by plaintiffs in Illinois and one in Ohio. The breakdown of alleged injuries for these cases is as follows:
● Three uterine cancer cases
● Two uterine fibroid cases
As the stream of cases continues to come in, there are an estimated 100,000 cases throughout the life of this lawsuit. New Jersey mass tort lawyers are gearing up to represent the women in our state and ensure they get compensation for the negligent actions of these manufacturers.
2023 lawsuit updates
Many other plaintiffs have filed cases and a motion to consolidate the hair relaxer cases into a new class action MDL. The defendants in these cases have opposed these motions, and a hearing is set for February. Since December 23rd, no further claims have been filed in federal court, but there are an estimated 25 cases that the MDL hearing will consider. Experts believe that JPML will grant the motion opening the door for more hair relaxer lawsuits in the future.
Kwartler Manus, LLC is ready to help.
You must take legal action if you suffer an injury like cancer from getting a hair relaxer treatment. While no New Jersey cases have been filed yet, many will soon come as word gets out about these dangerous conditions and how these manufacturers were negligent in their actions. Contact Kwartler Manus, LLC, to discuss your options for joining a class action lawsuit.