In recent years, researchers have discovered a connection between women becoming diagnosed with cancer after regularly using chemical hair straighteners.
Learning of the devastating diagnosis of cancer is a traumatic and heartbreaking experience for most women. Many are left feeling even more distraught after discovering that the use of a chemical hair straightener could be the reason for developing cancer.
They are often unsure of what they can do to seek justice for their pain and suffering and who they can turn to for help.
Working with a compassionate and reliable product liability lawyer will help you manage this challenging and stressful situation. A trustworthy lawyer will help you ensure your rights are protected during this complicated time while also allowing you to seek justice and fair compensation for your painful condition.
Our lawyers at LitigationConnect are well-versed in helping women navigate this distressing time. Contact us today at (833) 552-7274, and let us help you get the justice you deserve.
What Are Chemical Hair Straightener Products?
Chemical hair straightener products alter the structure of a person's hair, often changing it from coarse and coily to smooth and straight.
The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) recently conducted a study on chemical straightener products and determined that they contain harmful chemicals, including formaldehyde, parabens, phthalates, sodium hydroxide, benzophenone-3, cyclosiloxanes, diethanolamine, and triclosan.
According to the DTSC, some of these chemicals are associated with known human health and environmental hazards, including endocrine disruption, developmental and reproductive toxicity, and dermal effects.
How Do Hair Straightener Products Impact Someone’s Health?
Research performed by the National Institute of Health (NIH) has determined a correlation between the regular use of chemical hair straightener products and the development of cancer.
A recent study conducted by the National Institute of Health’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) followed nearly 33,500 women, ranging in age from 35 to 74, for approximately 11 years.
Approximately 380 cases of uterine cancer were discovered within the test group of women during this time. The data from the research illustrated that women who used chemical hair-straightening products on a regular basis, meaning more than four times a year, were at a higher risk of developing uterine cancer compared to women who did not use these types of products.
It was concluded that frequent users of the chemical hair relaxers were likely to develop uterine cancer at a rate that was more than double the rate of non-users.
Due to the increased absorption of the chemical straightener products through the woman's scalp, the study authors expressed heightened concern about the chemical exposure risk compared to other types of personal care products. The authors also noted that the chemical exposure from hair straightener products could be exacerbated by burns and lesions caused by the products themselves.
A separate study was performed by the NIH that followed more than 40,500 women ranging in age from 35 to 74. The study reported that after ten years, approximately 240 women were diagnosed with ovarian cancer, concluding that frequent use of a chemical hair-straightening product was associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer.
The authors of the two studies surmised that women who used a chemical hair-straightening product were at a higher risk of developing uterine cancer and ovarian cancer compared to women who did not report using these types of products.
What Is Uterine Cancer?
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identifies uterine cancer, also commonly referred to as endometrial cancer, as a disease where the cells of the uterus experience uncontrolled growth.
The CDC has identified signs and symptoms of uterine cancer, including
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding
- Unusual vaginal discharge
- Pain or pressure in the pelvic region
What Is Ovarian Cancer?
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ovarian cancer is classified as a group of diseases that originate in either the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or the peritoneum.
Signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer include
- Unusual vaginal discharge
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding
- Pain or pressure in the pelvic region
- Pain in the abdomen or back
- Bloating
- Upset eating habits, like feeling full too quickly or having difficulty eating
- Feeling the need to urinate more often
- Experiencing constipation on a regular basis
If you or your loved one have been diagnosed with cancer after regularly using hair straightener products, contact LitigationConnect, LLC today. Let us help you attain the justice you deserve for your pain and suffering.
How Are Uterine and Ovarian Cancer Treated?
Receiving a cancer diagnosis is a traumatic and heartbreaking experience that leaves most women facing a challenging and painful battle to heal their bodies from the devastating cancer.
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are a number of treatment options recommended by medical professionals depending upon the severity and stage of uterine cancer or ovarian cancer, along with the woman’s overall health.
Treatment options include
- Surgery - Depending on the type and severity of the cancer, surgery may be performed to remove the woman’s uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes in an effort to remove the cancer. After having her uterus removed, a woman is unable to become pregnant. She will also begin menopause if she has not gone through it already.
- Radiation therapy - Radiation therapy uses powerful, focused energy targeted at the cancer cells to reduce or eliminate them. This type of treatment can be used by itself to remove the cancer or to shrink the size of the cancer tumor before surgery.
- Chemotherapy - Chemotherapy uses medicine to target and kill cancer cells, either through the use of a pill or by having the medicine introduced intravenously. This type of treatment is often used to reduce cancer either by itself, prior to surgery, or after surgery to prevent the cancer cells from spreading.
- Hormone therapy - Hormone therapy is a medicinal treatment that decreases the hormone levels in the body that cancer cells rely on to grow, attempting to kill off the cancer cells altogether.
- Targeted therapy - Targeted therapy is a medical treatment that targets certain chemicals in cancer cells and kills the cancer. This type of treatment is frequently used alongside chemotherapy.
- Immunotherapy - Immunotherapy is another medicinal treatment that helps the body's immune system find and kill cancer cells. It is commonly used if other treatments are unsuccessful in curing or reducing the cancer.
- Palliative care - A team of healthcare professionals performs palliative care to improve a person's quality of life and overall well-being while they are fighting their battle with cancer. It is used alongside cancer treatments to help support the woman and assist in her feeling better during her challenging time.
If you or your loved one have been diagnosed with uterine or ovarian cancer after regularly using hair straightener products, contact LitigationConnect, LLC, today, and let us help you get the justice you deserve.
FAQs About a Hair Straightener Lawsuit
Can I Receive Compensation for Cancer Caused by Hair Relaxer Products?
Being diagnosed with uterine or ovarian cancer after regularly using chemical hair straightener products leaves most people feeling heartbroken, distraught, and frustrated. They are often left facing a challenging and painful road to recovery through their ensuing cancer treatments.
If you or your loved one has been diagnosed with uterine or ovarian cancer after using chemical hair straightener products, you may be entitled to recover compensation for your damages.
Recoverable damages include
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Medical bills and expenses, both present and future
- Loss of wages, both present and future
- Loss of quality of life
- Punitive damages
Contact LitigationConnect, LLC today if you or your loved one has been diagnosed with uterine or ovarian cancer after using chemical hair straightener products, and let us help you get the care, justice, and compensation you deserve.
How Do I File a Hair Straightener Lawsuit?
Learning of the severe, life-changing diagnosis of uterine or ovarian cancer after regularly using chemical hair straightener products commonly leaves most women suffering from immense feelings of heartbreak, distress, and frustration.
Many women are unsure of what they can do to seek justice for their pain and suffering and do not know who they can turn to for help.
Working with a diligent and compassionate product liability lawyer will help ease the stressful burden of your pursuit of justice, allowing you to focus better on getting your health and your life back on track.
Contact an attorney as soon as possible after being diagnosed with cancer to ensure you file your lawsuit within your state’s statute of limitations.
Your reliable legal team will work tirelessly on your behalf to help you attain justice for your wrongful damages through a series of diligent steps.
Gather Evidence
Your legal team will work diligently to gather evidence to help strengthen your case.
Gather documentation for as many items as possible associated with your uterine or ovarian cancer and hair straightener treatments to help your legal team build the evidence for your case, including
- Details on how many times and how often you used a chemical hair straightener product, as well as what brands and product lines were used
- Photographs and videos of the symptoms and side effects caused by the treatments
- A journal detailing all the adverse health impacts you have experienced from using a chemical hair straightener, including any emotional suffering you experienced
- Doctors’ notes and treatment plans
- A list of all associated expenses
Prove Fault
Cosmetic companies will commonly try to deny any fault associated with harmful side effects that may come from the use of their products.
Your assertive and reliable legal team will prove that the cause of your cancer resulted from the chemical hair straighteners you used. Your legal team will provide strong evidence to build your case, including the documentation you provided, published medical case reports, and testimony or witness statements from knowledgeable professionals on the matter.
Manage the Lawsuit
Your professional legal team will handle the entirety of the lawsuit on your behalf, including filing the lawsuit, managing all communications with third parties, and negotiating a settlement offer.
They will keep you updated throughout the entire process and answer all questions and concerns you have regarding your case.
Your dedicated lawyers will advocate on your behalf to ensure you recover compensation for all of the damages associated with your cancer that was caused by the use of the chemical hair straightener, including physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, medical bills and expenses, loss of wages and future earnings, loss of quality of life, and punitive damages.
Contact LitigationConnect, LLC today, and let us help you get the justice and compensation you deserve.
What Is a Product Liability Claim?
A product liability claim can be filed when a defective or malfunctioning product causes a person to endure harm, suffering, or pain.
Product liability defects fall into three main categories:
- Manufacturing defects occur when a product is improperly manufactured, and the final product differs from the end design. Typical examples are unstable furniture, faulty wiring, or defective airbags in a car.
- Design defects occur when a mistake or error is made during the product's design phase. Common instances of design defects include dangerous mixes of prescription drug ingredients and choking hazards in toys made for children or infants.
- Marketing defects, or insufficient label or warning defects, occur when a business does not adequately warn its customers of the potential hazards of using its product. Common examples of marketing defects include a company not disclosing the possible side effects of a medicine or not providing a warning label for an item that becomes hot.
Work With a Trusted Product Liability Lawyer
Suffering from the experience of being diagnosed with uterine or ovarian cancer is a devastating and painful experience for most women.
Many women are unsure who they can turn to for help if they believe their cancer could be the result of regularly using chemical hair straighteners.
Working with a trusted product liability accident lawyer will help you ease the stress of managing the lawsuit while protecting your rights and maximizing your chances of recovering compensation for your damages.
If you or your loved one have been diagnosed with cancer after using a chemical hair-relaxer product, contact LitigationConnect today at (833) 552-7274. Let us help you attain the justice and compensation you deserve for your pain and suffering.