ATLANTA, GA – In a significant ruling, the Georgia Supreme Court has handed down a decision that overrules a previous Court of Appeals ruling and allows the claims of consumers affected by hair relaxer products to proceed.
The case, Burroughs v. Strength of Nature Global, LLC and L’Oreal USA, Inc., concerns the harmful effects of chemical hair relaxers, including uterine fibroids and cancer. The lawsuit alleges that the hair relaxers, manufactured by Strength of Nature and L’Oreal, contained endocrine-disrupting chemicals that contributed to health issues. The Georgia Supreme Court determined that the statute of repose, a legal time limit that typically bars lawsuits for products sold more than ten years ago, does not apply to cases involving multiple units of a product used over time. The Court ruled that each sale of a unit of a product triggers a separate statute of repose period, allowing plaintiffs to pursue claims related to products sold within the ten-year period before filing.
“For years, I struggled with health issues, not knowing these products were to blame. This decision gives me hope for my case and for others who have suffered from the harmful effects of chemical hair relaxers. I’m committed to seeing it through for myself and for others who have been affected,” said plaintiff Kiara Burroughs.
“This litigation is a personal one – I have seen firsthand how damaging these products are, and how many women feel forced to rely on them due to societal expectations. Justice shouldn't be denied by arbitrary time limits, especially in cases involving harmful, long-latent products like chemical hair relaxers. We are grateful to the Court for ruling in favor of consumers, and I look forward to continuing this fight for my clients,” said Danielle Ward Mason, a Partner at Singleton Schreiber and attorney representing Ms. Burroughs. Danielle and her team at Singleton Schreiber currently represent nearly 6,000 hair relaxer clients nationwide.
“Danielle Ward Mason has been instrumental in this litigation. She helped create the wider hair relaxer litigation tort, as well as fought to include uterine fibroids as a health condition caused by chemical hair relaxers. She is a true advocate for her clients, and we look forward to seeing what her and her team will accomplish,” said Letitia Johnson, Managing Partner for Singleton Schreiber’s Southeastern Region.
This case will likely have broader implications for other consumer plaintiffs, as it challenges the rigidity of time limits in cases involving cumulative harm from products sold over extended periods.
Singleton Schreiber is committed to holding corporations accountable for the harm they cause.
For more information on Singleton Schreiber’s efforts in the hair relaxer litigation, visit the Hair Relaxer and Hair Straightening Lawsuits page.
For more information about the case or to speak with one of the attorneys involved, please contact Kim Lyons at info@singletonschreiber.com
Singleton Schreiber is a client-centered law firm with expertise in mass torts, multi-district litigation, fire litigation, personal injury/wrongful death, civil rights, environmental law, insurance bad faith, tribal law, and sex abuse/trafficking.
Home to the nation’s largest fire litigation practice, the firm has represented over 30,000 wildfire and explosion victims and played leading roles in high-stakes cases nationwide. The team is pursuing groundbreaking litigation against Tesla’s autopilot system, serving in leadership in national hair relaxer litigation, and advocating for survivors of abuse by major hotel chains. Its civil rights practice tackles police misconduct, excessive force, wrongful incarceration, and free speech violations, using strategic litigation to drive reform.
With deep experience in complex claims, Singleton Schreiber is committed to holding corporations accountable and helping communities recover.
