Hair straighteners are great styling products that give your hair a glossy, tangle-free, and sleek finish.
But did you know your hair straightener could expose you to the risk of uterine cancer? A study published by the National Institute of Health (NIH) reported that uterine cancer is more common in women using hair straightening products than those who don’t.
Soon after the study was published, a woman from Missouri filed a lawsuit against L’Oréal, a popular cosmetics company. In the suit, she alleged that she developed uterine cancer after using hair straightening products from the French company.
The chemicals used in hair straighteners could be the reason women using them are diagnosed with cancer.
A growing number of women have been filing lawsuits against hair straightener manufacturers because of the health condition they’ve developed after using them.
Now the question is: do you qualify to file a hair straightener lawsuit? If you’ve been wondering the same, read on.
We’ll walk you through the basics of hair straightener lawsuits so that you can figure out if you qualify for compensation. Shall we get into the deets, then?
How Do Chemical Hair Straightening Products Work?
Hair straightening products straighten hair by breaking the natural bonds–salt, hydrogen, and disulfide bonds in hair via chemicals and heat. Chemicals that straighten the hair are triclosan, benzophenone-3, phthalates, diethanolamine, parabens, cyclosiloxanes, sodium thioglycolate, sodium hydroxide, formaldehyde, and ammonium thioglycolate.
Women argue that exposure to such chemicals has been the reason they’ve developed cancer.
Types of Cancer Caused By Hair Straightening Products
Prolonged usage of hair straightening products has been linked to two types of cancer: uterine cancer and breast cancer. Hair straighteners contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals, or EDCs, which are believed to cause cancer.
However, cancer isn’t the only condition women experience due to hair straighteners. Endometriosis and uterine fibroids are other health conditions that women are likely to experience after using hair straighteners.
That said, women undergoing cancer treatments are qualified to file a lawsuit against the manufacturers.
Cosmetic Brands Named In the Hair Straightener Lawsuit
Defendants whose hair straightener products contain EDCs are listed below:
- L’Oreal
- Dark and Lovely
- Olive Oil Girls
- Just for Me
- TCB Naturals
- Motions
- Optimum
- Namaste
- Strength of Nature Global LLC
- Soft & Beautiful
Hair straightener products from these brands are most popular among Black women. That means they are more at risk of contracting uterine cancer and other health conditions than non-Black women.
Bottom line: filing a hair straightener lawsuit is the way to go if you or your loved ones have developed cancer because of using straighteners from the above-mentioned brands.
More than a dozen women have found the attorneys of TorHoerman Law helpful in regard to filing a hair straightener lawsuit. Not only are the attorneys experienced, but they are also up-to-date with the latest developments in the case.
What’s more, the firm evaluates the case for free, so you can consult them without paying any fees.
Hair Straightener Lawsuit: Do You Qualify to File Claim?
Any woman who has used a chemical hair straightener for a considerable amount of time and was diagnosed with breast cancer, uterine cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids can file a compensation claim.
Remember, four years should have passed between the cancer diagnosis and the first full year of product usage. In other words, this is known as the latency period, which is the interval between the onset of the disease and the first exposure to the product. This latency period is what determines if there’s a link between the cancer diagnosis and product usage.
How Do I File A Hair Straightener Claim?
Most states allow citizens to file a hair straightener claim without a lawyer. Often, it’s known as “pro se.” While you, too, can file a lawsuit without an attorney, know that the chances of winning would be low.
Moreover, people with little to no knowledge of the law know nothing about legal proceedings. Failure to adhere to the rules of a court of law will lead to the termination of the case.
To ensure you don’t lose the case, hiring a personal injury attorney will be the best bet. That’s because they’ll show you the correct path and save you from pitfalls.
Specific evidence that you will need to file a hair straightener claim is as follows:
- Medical bills
- Medical records
- Witness statements
- Receipts of purchase of hair straightening products
- Doctor’s notes
- Loss of wages due to the treatment
Claim Compensation by Filing A Hair Straightener Lawsuit Today
Since hair straightener manufacturers do not disclose that their products contain EDCs, anyone diagnosed with health conditions associated with their usage can claim monetary damages.
Filing a hair straightener lawsuit is more complex than you think, so you should always hire a lawyer for the same. Just keep medical records, bills, and receipt of the purchase of the hair straightener handy, so your lawyer can proceed further without issues.
