Were you diagnosed with uterine cancer after regular use of hair relaxer?
Pfeifer, Morgan and Stesiak may be able to help you file a hair relaxer lawsuit to recover compensation for the cost of medical care, pain and suffering, and other damages you suffered. For example, you may be able to recover compensation for the cost of a hysterectomy, endometrial ablation or myomectomy.
Our defective product lawyers represent injured victims on contingency, which means there are no upfront costs to pay. The initial consultation is also free.
Call us today to schedule a free legal consultation to find out if you may be eligible.
Experienced lawyers. Millions recovered for victims. Contact us at: (574) 444-0741.
Who May Qualify To File a Hair Relaxer Lawsuit?
There may be millions of African American women who have been negatively affected by routine use of hair relaxer or hair straightener products.
Anyone who used hair relaxers/hair straighteners on a regular basis and has since been diagnosed with uterine cancer may have a case. That said, this is an issue that needs to be reviewed with an experienced lawyer. He or she will need to evaluate numerous factors to determine if you can file a case, such as:
- When you were diagnosed
- Your specific diagnosis (uterine, endometrial or ovarian cancer or another type)
- The frequency of your hair relaxer use
- The product or products used
- How your symptoms have affected your life
- The stage of your cancer
- Whether you have family history of cancer, especially if you have the same diagnosis
- Medical procedures you have undergone (hysterectomy, myomectomy, endometrial ablation or uterine artery embolization)
You may be able to sue manufacturers of any of the following brands of hair relaxer products:
- Dark & Lovely
- ORS Olive Oil Hair Relaxer
- Just For Me
- Cantu Shea Butter Relaxer
- Motions
- L’Oreal
- Softsheen-Carson
- African Pride
- Cantu Beauty
- And more
Eligibility for these lawsuits is not limited to people who were using hair relaxer at home. You can also potentially file a lawsuit if you went to a salon to have hair relaxer applied.
If you have family members who passed away from their illnesses due to using these products, you may still have legal options. We may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit on their behalf.
Many people who file lawsuits have been using hair relaxers on a long-term basis. However, some short-term users may be eligible for lawsuits as well.
What Evidence Do I Need To Prove a Hair Relaxer Case?
Your lawyer must establish a direct link between your cancer diagnosis and use of hair relaxer. You can rest assured the defendants in these cases are going to push back and claim cancer was caused by something else. You are going to need detailed evidence to validate your case and counter the defense’s claims about how your cancer developed.
Claimants need to provide relevant medical records, including names of treating physicians, hospitals, contact information for these facilities and treatment provided. The records provided must confirm both the diagnosis being claimed and evidence of hair relaxer use. Other records needed may include purchase receipts or salon records.
Pictures that confirm your use of hair relaxer may also be helpful, along with statements from family, friends or stylists about the fact that you used hair relaxer. If you had hair relaxer applied in a salon or multiple salons, you will need to provide detailed information about these businesses.
Your lawyer can help you gather detailed evidence about the medical treatment you have received for cancer.
Compensation for Hair Relaxer Victims
The purpose of a hair relaxer lawsuit is to secure compensation for damages. While each case is different, these are some of the damages many victims may be able to seek:
Medical Costs
Treating cancer is incredibly expensive. For example, you may need a hysterectomy to remove cancerous tissue. You can include all costs for treatment of your hair relaxer-related injuries in your claim for compensation:
- Surgery costs
- Hospital stays
- Treatment of complications like damage to internal organs, blood clots, excessive bleeding, blood transfusions, infections and allergic reactions to anesthesia
- Cancer treatment (radiation, chemotherapy, etc.)
- Future medical care needs
Non-Economic Damages
Getting diagnosed with cancer and going through cancer treatment affects your physical, emotional and psychological well-being. For example, a hysterectomy could result in:
- Lower libido
- Early onset of menopause
- Loss of fertility
- Emotional suffering
Some of the other non-economic damages may include:
- Lost enjoyment of life
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional suffering
- Lost companionship
Lost Wages and Diminished Earning Capacity
Cancer treatment can affect your employment, causing you to miss work or be unable to work as much as before. This lowers your earning capacity.
Wrongful Death Damages
For families who have lost a loved one to a cancer that is linked to hair relaxer use, compensation might cover:
- Funeral expenses
- Burial costs
- Pain and suffering from the loss
Each case’s value will depend on the individual’s diagnosis, treatment details and other unique factors.
It is essential for hair relaxer victims to meet with a licensed lawyer to understand their rights, legal options and potential compensation.
There are no upfront costs with our legal services. Call today: (574) 444-0741.
What Evidence Is There That Hair Relaxers Cause Uterine Cancer?
Hair relaxers, also called hair straighteners, help to flatten and smooth hair, so it is easier to comb and style. This process requires the use of a chemical to change the protein structure of the hair. One to two months after these chemicals are applied, hair starts to grow away from the scalp.
African American women have used these products for more than a century, either at salons or at home.
The trouble is hair relaxers have endocrine disrupting chemicals that could get into your body via cuts, burns or sores on the scalp. One of these endocrine disrupting chemicals is Di-2-hexyl phthalate (DEHP). This chemical is likely a carcinogen to humans, as it disrupts your hormones. It could also lead to uterine fibroids, which often form before malignant tumors.
The first study to show uterine cancer may be linked to chemical hair relaxers came out in 2022. This was a 10-year study that found women who used hair relaxers more than four time in 12 months were at a 150 percent higher risk of getting diagnosed with cancer. Regular users of these products were twice as likely as non-users to develop uterine cancer.
What Is the Status of the Hair Relaxer Class Action?
The study on hair relaxer usage and uterine cancer led to a lawsuit in October 2022, which was the first hair relaxer lawsuit filed. The victim sued L’Oreal, noting that she used hair relaxer since the age of 10.
This was the first of dozens of lawsuits over an alleged link between hair relaxer use and being diagnosed with uterine cancer. It took less than one year for lawsuits to be consolidated into a Multidistrict Litigation (MDL). As of March 1, 2024, there were more than 8,300 lawsuits in the MDL. This legal action is now being managed in the Northern District of Illinois.
An MDL is meant to make the legal process run more smoothly. Cases can be handled in one court instead of in numerous courts around the nation.
Call Pfeifer, Morgan and Stesiak Today To Discuss a Hair Relaxer Lawsuit
If you or a loved one are facing a uterine cancer diagnosis and you used hair relaxer on a regular basis, you may have legal options. Hair relaxer manufacturers have a legal duty to not put unreasonably dangerous products on the market and may therefore be liable for your damages.
Securing compensation is a complex process, which is why you need an experienced firm at your side. Our lawyers have decades of combined experience and a proven track record.
Call us to schedule a free initial consultation. There are no upfront costs with our services.
Contact Pfeifer, Morgan and Stesiak to learn more: (574) 444-0741.
