Overview
HAIR RELAXER AND HAIR STRAIGHTENING LAWSUITS
There are many complicated emotions surrounding hair care and hair relaxers for women. While some women choose to relax their natural curls for purely aesthetic reasons, others are conditioned to see natural hair textures as unappealing or unattractive. For decades, women have felt the pressure to change their hair care routine to conform to a manufactured image of what is beautiful. Haircare companies capitalize on this message, creating splashy and eye-catching advertisements tempting women to ditch their natural curls in favor of sleek, straight hair.
Unfortunately, women did not know that in altering their natural hair, they were exposing themselves to harsh and potentially cancer-causing chemicals. These chemicals could be responsible for various diseases, cancers, and medical complications.
MEET THE TEAM |
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| Danielle Mason, Partner | Letitia Johnson, Partner | Kristina Aiad-Toss, Associate | LaCrisha Mcallister, Associate |
Shani Butler, Associate |
Zakia Chamberlain, Associate |
At Singleton Schreiber, our bold women are ready to move mountains for you. We understand the complicated history behind hair relaxing products. We also understand how the companies behind these relaxers may be responsible for putting products on the market that harm women, especially women of color.
Have you regularly used hair-relaxing products to straighten your natural hair or change its texture? Have you been recently diagnosed with cancer or other health complications? You may be eligible to file a product liability lawsuit against hair-relaxing manufacturers seeking compensation for your financial losses.
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Types of Cancer Caused by Hair Relaxers and Straighteners
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Why You Need an Experienced Product Liability Lawyer on Your Side
Product liability cases are complicated. You must prove several elements to mount a potentially successful product liability lawsuit against a company or manufacturer. Managing the challenging aspects of a product liability case solo is never in your best interests. You need the experience that only a skilled product liability attorney can provide.
In the case of hair-relaxing products, they continue to be manufactured by some of the top names in the beauty industry. Going head-to-head with a multi-million-dollar beauty company can be overwhelming and intimidating. The bold women at Singleton Schreiber have the experience and resources to tackle the most demanding legal challenges and pursue maximum compensation on your behalf. Our legal team has obtained almost $3 billion in verdicts and settlements for our clients.
How do we put this experience to work for you?
Our legal team can:
- Investigate the circumstances of your case
- Identify all parties potentially liable for your injuries
- Gather evidence and medical documentation to strengthen your case
- Manage communication between you and other parties
- Accurately calculate the value of your financial losses
- Aggressively negotiate for the compensation you deserve
- Prepare a case for court when necessary
Our compassionate legal team can offer honest legal advice and support during this challenging time.
Current LitigationOur firm currently represents thousands of women who have been harmed as a result of exposure to toxic hair relaxer chemicals, in many cases since they were young girls. These hair relaxer products, prevalent in every corner of the country, have been marketed primarily to Black women and girls for generations as a way to meet beauty standards designed to chemically change their natural hair. As a result, the women we represent have suffered devastating injuries, including uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, fibroids, infertility, endocrine disruption, and other permanent impacts. Singleton Schreiber has filed lawsuits in state and federal courts throughout the country against haircare product manufacturers—including L’Oreal, Revlon, Strength of Nature, Namaste Laboratories, and more. The Defendants’ attempts to dismiss these lawsuits have been widely rejected by the courts, and we are progressing toward trial to hold these corporations responsible for their actions. |
Do Hair Relaxing Products Cause Cancer?Relaxers and chemical straightening belong to a class of beauty products designed to loosen the curl pattern of hair. When applied to wet hair, chemicals in these products break down the protein bonds in hair called disulfides. Hair with curls or tight coils tends to have more disulfide bonds than straight hair. Breaking these bonds relaxes the curl pattern and leaves hair straight or slightly wavy. However, as hair grows, more product must be applied to relax the new growth close to the scalp. Chemical straighteners are not a one-and-done product. To keep hair straight, women must constantly reapply the chemicals. Increasingly, medical studies indicate that the chemicals in popular hair-relaxing treatments may lead to the development of certain cancers. Those who regularly use chemical relaxers or straightening products may be up to two and a half times more likely to develop specific types of cancer. |
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How do hair relaxing products cause cancer?
The answer may involve chemicals in the products called endocrine disrupters. Many popular hair-relaxing products contain chemicals like formaldehyde, bisphenol A, parabens, ammonium thioglycolate, and diethanolamine. Many of these chemicals are known as endocrine disruptors. Endocrine disruptors interfere with the body’s hormonal system, leading to increased cancers impacting reproductive organs.
Hair Relaxers Pose Significant Risks for Women of Color
A broad spectrum of women uses chemical straightening products and hair relaxing kits. However, women of color may have an elevated risk of developing cancer from using relaxers. The reason why more women of color turn to straighteners is complicated.
Women of color have a complex relationship with natural hair texture, beauty industry standards, and constant marketing to make them want to change their natural hair. One study suggests 60 percent of women who reported using chemical hair relaxers identified as African American.
Unfortunately, more women of color reach for hair-relaxing products and face health disparities and healthcare bias. Studies indicate African American women have shorter life expectancies, higher maternal mortality, and are disproportionately burdened by chronic health conditions. The American Cancer Society estimates that African American women are 41 percent more likely to die from breast cancer than white women.
Have You Suffered After Using These Cosmetic Products?
If you have used any of the following products, you may be eligible for compensation.
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What Compensation Is Available in a Hair Straightener Lawsuit?
Suppose you’ve been diagnosed with hormone-sensitive cancer like uterine or ovarian cancer and consistently used hair-relaxing products. In that case, you might be eligible to file a lawsuit against the company or manufacturer of the product. A lawsuit allows you to seek compensation for your financial losses related to your cancer diagnosis. Although the value of your case may vary, most women can seek money for the following:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
In rare cases, the court can award someone punitive damages in addition to the compensatory damages listed above. Punitive damages do not compensate you for your financial losses. Punitive damages are a type of financial punishment for egregious conduct on the part of an individual or company.
Connect with a Skilled Attorney TodayNever in a million years would most women think that a product designed to enhance their hair would be responsible for causing a life-altering cancer diagnosis. Unfortunately, that is the reality many women face today after the prolonged use of chemical hair relaxers. If you believe your cancer diagnosis may correspond to your use of chemical hair straightening products, talk to the team at Singleton Schreiber. At Singleton Schreiber, our bold women are prepared to move mountains to seek the compensation you deserve. Contact our office at 888-410-9166 to arrange a consultation with one of our compassionate product liability attorneys. We are ready to listen to you. |
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News & Insights
News
|Media Mention, FilevineDanielle Ward Mason, partner at Singleton Schreiber, was recently featured in a blog on Filevine. The blog describes how Danielle was recognized on the Forbes Top 200 Lawyers of 2024 List, how ...
|Media Mention, Law 360Danielle Ward Mason, Partner at Singleton Schreiber in the Southeastern US, was recently featured on Law 360. In the article, Ms. Mason's professional & successful litigation career is ...