Chemical hair relaxer products may help some consumers achieve their desired hairstyles. Such products are quite popular among women in the Black community. Unfortunately, research and consumer reports indicate these products may carry health risks.
Have you developed cancer or another such medical condition after using hair relaxers? It’s possible that the chemicals in these products contributed to your illness.
Speak with a Southern California hair relaxer mass tort attorney for more information. You may be entitled to financial compensation for your medical bills and related losses.
At Jurewitz Law Group Injury and Accident Lawyers, we know that developing a frightening illness like cancer is a devastating experience. Let us help ease your burdens now by assisting you in holding the product manufacturers accountable for their failure to warn of the health risks associated with these products. Call us today at (855) GET-ROSS for a free consultation.
Health Issues Linked to Hair Relaxers
According to Boston University Medical Center (BUMC), hair relaxers may contain ingredients that are known to cause harm. BUMC cites lax regulations as the reason such products may still contain dangerous ingredients.
Research shows that long-term use of certain hair relaxer products correlates with an above-average uterine cancer risk in postmenopausal Black women. Research often indicates Black women are particularly at risk of developing health issues resulting from hair relaxer use.
According to the research, approximately 95 percent of Black women in the U.S. report having used hair relaxer products at some point in their lives. Because Black women use hair relaxers at higher rates than other groups, they’re at greater risk of developing health issues connected with the relaxers. The research also indicates that Black women are twice as likely as white women to die from uterine cancer resulting from hair relaxers.
Uterine cancer isn’t the only health issue hair relaxers might cause. According to Breastcancer.org, there may be a link between hair relaxer use and increased risk of estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer.
The fact that hair relaxers contain dangerous ingredients means further research may be necessary to thoroughly understand their risks. Any consumer who believes they may have developed health issues as a result of using these products should see a doctor. If you currently use chemical hair relaxers, consider stopping.
Compensation Available in a Hair Relaxer Cancer Case
When you’ve been injured through no fault of your own, you could claim two types of compensation: money for economic losses and money for non-economic losses. Medical expenses and lost wages are examples of economic losses. These losses come with a specific dollar amount attached.
Non-economic losses are subjective and don’t have exact dollar values like economic losses do. An example of a non-economic loss may be the pain you might experience because of your illness. There are a variety of types of non-economic losses, including loss of enjoyment of life, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, among others.
In addition, although this doesn’t happen often, a jury may award punitive or exemplary damages if your case goes to trial. Punitive damages aren’t intended to compensate you for a loss you’ve experienced. Their purpose is to punish a liable party for their behavior in failing to notify potential users of the dangers associated with product use.
What Is a Hair Relaxer Mass Tort?
A typical personal injury case involves one party harming one person. The injured party can seek compensation by filing a claim with the negligent party’s insurance. If the negligent party doesn’t have insurance, the injured party may file a lawsuit to seek compensation in court. Filing a lawsuit may also be an option when the insurance company won’t offer a fair settlement.
Sometimes, however, a negligent party harms many individuals. The nature of the harm these individuals sustain may also be somewhat similar. In such a situation, injured or ill parties can participate in mass torts lawsuits. With a mass tort, many different individuals who were harmed by the same party file lawsuits against the at-fault party. The courts may combine them in a multi-district litigation so they can be heard before one judge.
Mass torts aren’t class action lawsuits. In a class action lawsuit, one lawsuit that has many plaintiffs is filed. Plaintiffs in class action lawsuits must divide their compensation or any damages they’re awarded by the court among all participants. As a result, the amount of money people receive in class action lawsuits can be small.
That’s not a risk with a mass tort case. If you participate in a mass tort, your claim will still be separate from all the others. That means you don’t have to share any damages or compensation you receive with other plaintiffs.
Evidence in a Hair Relaxer Mass Tort Case
Submitting evidence with your claim or lawsuit is key to showing you deserve the amount of compensation you may be seeking. Common forms of evidence in a hair relaxer mass tort include:
- Proof that you used hair relaxer products over a period of time
- Testimony from your doctor connecting your illness to your hair relaxer use
- Medical bills
- Diagnostic tests
- Documentation of lost wages
- Documentation of at-home care expenses
- Expert testimony
How Long Do You Have to File a Hair Relaxer Cancer Lawsuit in California?
Don’t delay if you’re thinking about taking legal action after developing health conditions that resulted from hair relaxer use. In California, you have two years from the date you learned of your illness to file a lawsuit against the at-fault party. If you file your suit after the statutory deadline lapses, the court can dismiss your case without a hearing.
Contact a Hair Relaxer Mass Tort Lawyer
Adjusting to life after receiving a cancer diagnosis is an ongoing process. You likely have medical appointments to attend and treatments to complete while dealing with an illness that affects your comfort and energy levels.
You don’t need to pursue compensation alone. Instead, review your case with one of our Southern California hair relaxer mass tort attorneys from Jurewitz Law Group Injury and Accident Lawyers. We can provide the aggressive representation you deserve. Get started today by contacting us online or calling us at (855) GET-ROSS for a free case review.
