Chemical Hair Straightener Lawsuit

Pennsylvania Chemical Hair Straightener Lawsuit Lawyers

Chemical hair straightening is a popular treatment used to straighten or relax curly or coiled hair. People have used these products for over a century. However, recent studies have produced evidence that they may have safety risks for the women who use them.

Sales of chemical hair relaxing treatments have plummeted from $71 million to $30 million in the past ten years. Many who began using these products at a young age did’t know about the scientific research that reveals their increased risk of certain conditions, notably uterine cancer.

If you used chemical hair straighteners in the past and developed uterine cancer, endometrial cancer, or uterine fibroids, you may recover compensation for your losses from the manufacturer.

The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers is currently accepting chemical hair straightener cases from Pennsylvania residents. Our experienced team of product liability attorneys is not afraid to stand up to those responsible for your damages and pursue your case fearlessly with our wealth of experience, resources, and expertise. If you have a potential claim against the makers of chemical hair relaxing products, call us today for a free consultation.

 

How Can The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers Help With My Case?

Our lawyers have decades of combined experience advocating for the rights of claimants. We take every case seriously and will go the extra mile to hear your story and understand its unique circumstances.

By placing your case in the hands of an experienced Levin Firm attorney, you can have full confidence that we’ll work with you every step of the way to ensure that your claim receives the attention it deserves to come to a positive resolution.

Our experienced attorneys can:

  • Examine your case thoroughly and work to gather as many details and evidence as possible
  • Consult expert medical professionals about the risks of chemical hair straighteners
  • Work with your healthcare providers to understand your condition, treatment plan, and prognosis
  • Assess your total losses and negotiate for their full and fair compensation
  • Help you understand the legal process and provide you support throughout the lifecycle of your claim
  • If necessary, provide you with legal representation and litigation

How Much Is My Settlement Worth?

Your settlement value will depend on several factors regarding your claim and injuries, including what medical diagnosis(s) you received, your expected prognosis, and your total expenses and losses.

Your payment may arrive in a lump sum or a structured settlement plan. Your attorney can help determine what compensation you may seek. Should you choose to work with a qualified Levin Firm attorney, you can expect to receive legal guidance that will help you come to a settlement agreement that adequately compensates you for your losses.

What Damages Can I Recover From a Chemical Hair Straightener Lawsuit?

Compensation in a personal injury lawsuit seeks to address the complete losses experienced by a claimant. You may recover economic, non-economic, and punitive damages in your case.

Economic Damages

These losses include expenses due to your injuries and other financial repercussions of the harm you experienced.

  • Medical bills, including the cost of past and ongoing treatments
  • Surgeries
  • Hospitalizations
  • Medications
  • Laboratory work
  • Doctor and specialist visits
  • Medical devices
  • Lost income and wages
  • Lost earning potential

Non-Economic Damages

Cancer and other medical conditions experienced by those pursuing chemical hair straightener lawsuits can create long-term burdens and come with many challenges.

Non-economic damages compensate you for how these ill effects affect your life.

Punitive Damages

Occasionally, plaintiffs receive punitive damages to deter future behavior from the liable party or parties. In product liability claims, claimants receive punitive damages if they can demonstrate that the manufacturers had prior knowledge of the dangers their products exhibited but continued to market it anyway without sufficient warnings.

Chemical Hair Straightener and Uterine Cancer

Pennsylvania Chemical Hair Straightener Lawsuit Lawyers​Uterine cancer is the most common cancer of the female reproductive system, although it is relatively uncommon compared to other cancers.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), chemical hair straighteners and relaxers may increase the prevalence of this cancer. Researchers hypothesized that the chemical agents used in these hair treatments might disrupt normal hormone regulation in the body, leading to a higher risk of endometrial cancers (cancers that begin in the endometrial lining). Chemical hair relaxers may also increase the risk for other conditions affecting the reproductive system, such as uterine fibroids and endometriosis. These effects are more frequently observed in women of African American descent due to statistically more frequent chemical hair-straightner use.

Does Chemical Hair Straightener Cause Cancer?

While not enough research exists to say definitively that these products cause cancer, strong evidence links the two. In the NIH study, which followed over 33,000 women for 11 years, the risk of uterine cancer doubled in the group that frequently used chemical hair straightening treatments. Researchers did not see these effects after subjects used other hair products, such as bleaches, dyes, or perms.

In future years, we can expect scientific organizations to conduct more research on the risks of uterine and endometrial cancers and chemical hair straighteners. Our lawyers closely monitor these developments and educate ourselves about the current scientific literature and consensus.

Does Chemical Hair Straightener Cause Other Conditions?

Based on the current evidence, the hormone-disrupting chemicals used in chemical hair relaxers may contribute to other reproductive conditions. Studies also theorized that risk increases with the frequency of use and duration of treatment time. Prolonged exposure to certain chemicals in these products through the scalp may allow the person’s body to absorb more of the product, especially with formulas that include lye, which can create abrasions and burns.

Who May Pursue Damages From Chemical Hair Straightener Claims?

If you received a diagnosis or another reproductive disease after using chemical hair straighteners, you may file a claim against manufacturers of these products to obtain compensation.

The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers is currently accepting claims from victims of:

Cancerous Conditions

If you were diagnosed between the ages of 18 and 70 with

  • Uterine cancer
  • Endometrial cancer

Non-Cancerous Conditions

If you were diagnosed between the ages of 18 and 60 with

  • Fibroids (uterine leiomyomata)
  • Endometriosis

If you were diagnosed with a non-cancerous condition, you must also demonstrate the severity of the illness. For claimants with fibroids, eligible claims include a myomectomy or hysterectomy following the diagnosis. Those who received treatment for endometriosis will have had a hysterectomy or other surgical intervention.

What Do I Need to File a Chemical Hair Straighter Lawsuit?

To prevail in a personal injury lawsuit, you’ll need to furnish your case with sufficient proof to demonstrate that a liable party caused your injuries. In this case, you’ll need to show that your prior use of chemical hair straightening contributed to your illness.

Prior Use of Chemical Hair Straightener or Relaxer

You must establish your history of using chemical hair straighteners or relaxers, including the brand name and your frequency of use. If you received these treatments at a salon, you’d need to provide the name of the salon and the stylist who applied the products.

Medical Diagnosis

You must provide evidence of your diagnosis and medical treatments and interventions you received, including surgeries, medications, and any other information relevant to treating your condition.

Doctor’s Testimony and Medical Records

Your doctor can provide valuable written testimony and insight into how your condition manifested and how exposure to hair-straightening chemicals may have provoked it.

Expenses Related to Your Injury

Itemized expenses related to your medical condition and subsequent losses will help you negotiate a fair settlement for your claim. These may include lost income, medical bills, and any other costs related to disruptions caused by your illness and treatment.

Before meeting with your attorney, try to obtain as much information as possible concerning your case. Avoid discussing your case publicly, including online or through social media, and keep your activities regarding your claim private. Your attorney can determine what, if any, additional information they’ll need to begin working on your claim.

How Long Do I Have to File a Claim?

The statute of limitations sets how long someone has to take legal action following their injury. The law grants claimants two years to pursue a personal injury claim in Pennsylvania. However, these two years do not begin until the claimant has discovered the injury or discovered the harm done to them. Therefore, a two-year statute of limitations for a chemical hair straightener claim would begin after the claimant receives a diagnosis.

If you have doubts about whether you can pursue a personal injury lawsuit given your particular situation, consult an experienced attorney at the Levin Firm for more information.

What Brands Face Chemical Hair Straightener Lawsuits?

We are still in the early stages of seeing lawsuits and legal action against the manufacturers of hair-relaxing products.

However, we have already seen claimants pursue damages from several major brands, including:

  • L’Oreal USA Inc. and L’Oreal USA Products Inc.,
  • Strength of Nature Global LLC
  • Soft Sheen Carson (W.I.) Inc.
  • Dabur International Ltd. and Dabur USA Inc.
  • Namaste Laboratories.

Dozens of companies currently manufacture products used to straighten hair chemically. Your claim must identify the entities responsible for the products that harmed you. An experienced lawyer can help you determine which parties you can hold liable and file your claim accordingly.

Are Chemical Hair Relaxers Banned?

As of now, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has not issued any recalls on chemical hair straighteners. According to the administration’s website, it continues to evaluate the safety of these products on a case-by-case basis.

Concern about certain chemical agents, such as phytates and formaldehyde, has prompted the guidance that consumers continue to exercise caution when applying hair products and to check labels carefully. However, sometimes these ingredients are not listed in the packaging. In the case of formaldehyde, this ingredient may only be released into the air when people heat it. The ingredients list of a product may disguise phytates as a “fragrance.”

We don’t know whether increased legal action against the manufacturers of these products prompts increased government regulation.

Can I Afford a Pennsylvania Chemical Hair Straightener Lawyer?

Many victims of personal injury cases worry that they lack the resources to pursue legal action against those who wronged them. The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers works on a contingency fee basis, meaning you’ll pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. We will deduct our attorney’s fees from your case’s settlement or verdict.

Contact a Levin Firm Personal Injury Attorney Today

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The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers is prepared to hear your story and begin working on your claim. Upon agreeing to move forward with your case, we will fight tirelessly for its victory with every resource at our disposal.

Contact an experienced attorney today at (215) 825-5183  for a free consultation and learn how the Levin Firm can help you obtain compensation for your injuries. Reach out to a product liability lawyer.

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