Hair Relaxer Cancer Lawsuit Lawyer

Case Overview

It is alleged by hair relaxer lawsuits that companies such as Revlon and L’Oréal made defective products which caused people to develop cancer. Science has linked chemical hair straightening and relaxing products to multiple cancers, including ovarian, endometrial and uterine cancer. Those who have developed these cancers following use of chemical hair straightening or relaxing products may qualify to file a hair straightener lawsuit.

Hair Relaxer Lawsuits – Important Updates

• July 2026: 11,877 plaintiffs are now in the hair relaxer MDL, making this MDL one of the biggest in the country.
• January 2026: 10,948 lawsuits are pending in the federal MDL. There are 14,757 total cases.
• June 2025: 10,317 lawsuits were pending in the federal hair relaxer multidistrict litigation (MDL).
• May 2025: 32 cases were selected for bellwether discovery in the hair relaxer MDL.
• April 2025: Three defendants’ motions to dismiss were denied in the hair relaxer MDL.
• March 2025: The judge overseeing the hair straightener MDL outlined a bellwether trial preparation schedule, indicating that the first bellwether trial will see a jury in 2027.
• January 2025: An executive order pausing new regulations as well as external communications regarding federal health agencies has likely indefinitely stalled an FDA ban on formaldehyde in chemical hair relaxing products.

Hair Relaxer Lawsuits – Key Takeaways

• Lawsuits allege that manufacturers of chemical hair relaxing and straightening products failed to warn about cancer risks linked with the products.
• Science has linked the products with ovarian, endometrial and uterine cancer.
• Plaintiffs in hair relaxer lawsuits are seeking financial compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain, suffering, emotional distress and more.

Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers is actively retaining those nationwide who have developed uterine cancer or ovarian cancer after using chemical hair straighteners.

A recent study has found that those who frequently use chemical hair straightening or relaxing products are more than twice as likely to develop uterine cancer than those who do not. A product which can cause cancer is an unreasonably dangerous product, and California law as well as other states’ laws allows for victims of unreasonably dangerous products to obtain financial compensation from the makers of the products for any harm done to them by the products.

Call our hair straightener lawyers today for a free consultation if you or a loved one was diagnosed with uterine cancer or ovarian cancer after using chemical hair relaxing or straightening products. There have already been hair straightening lawsuits filed against manufacturers such as L’Oréal. We do not charge our clients a fee unless and until we obtain financial compensation for them. In other words, you won’t owe us a penny unless we win your case.

Can I File a Hair Straightener Uterine Cancer Lawsuit?

You might be eligible to file a hair straightener lawsuit if:

• You used chemical hair relaxing or straightening products
• You later received a diagnosis of uterine cancer, endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine sarcoma, or uterine fibroids which require inpatient surgery

Products which may qualify for a hair straightener lawsuit include but are not limited to:

Distributors and manufacturers:

• L’Oréal
• Godrej Consumer Products
• Dabur International
• Parfums de Coeur
• Namaste
• Soft Sheen Carson
• PDC Brands
• Strength of Nature Global
• Wella Operations US, LLC and Wella AG
• RNA Corporation
• Roux Laboratories, Inc.
• Murrays Worldwide, Inc.
• Jean Paul Mitchel Systems, Inc.
• Bronner Brothers, Inc.
• Advanced Beauty, Inc.

Brands:

• Dark & Lovely
• Motions
• Just for Me
• Optimum
• Olive Oil Girls
• Soft & Beautiful
• Crème of Nature
• African Pride
• ORS Olive Oil Hair Relaxer

Products:

• Hair straighteners
• Hair relaxers
• Keratin
• Brazilian Blow Out

If you’re not sure if you are eligible to file a lawsuit, call our hair relaxer lawyers today and we’ll discuss your legal options with you for free.

Which Chemicals Are in Chemical Hair Relaxers?

Chemical hair straightener and relaxer products can may contain potentially harmful chemicals, including:

• Phthalates: These endocrine disrupting chemicals, such as DEHP, improve fragrances’ retention and stability, and help products stick to hair. However, they have been linked with health problems such as uterine cancer and breast cancer.
• Bisphenol A (BPA): This industrial chemical is used in the manufacturing of polycarbonate plastic.
• Formaldehyde: Formaldehyde causes cancer, according to the state of California’s Proposition 65 list, and is used to produce numerous products, such as construction materials.
• Parabens: These chemicals are utilized as preservatives in pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic products.

Phthalates and EDCs in Hair Relaxers

Chemical hair relaxing and straightening products are known for containing high levels of EDCs, or endocrine-disrupting chemicals. These chemicals interfere with the human endocrine system as well as hormone receptors. EDCs are found in hair care products and are typically referred to as “perfumes” or “fragrances,” entering the body as the products are applied to the scalp and hair. Parabens, estrogens and phthalates are the EDCs which are commonly found in hair care products.

Hormone receptors can be directly acted upon by EDCs, as can proteins which disrupt the endocrine system or control hormone delivery. The body can be caused by EDCs to operate like there is too much of a hormone, leading to a disproportionate response to a stimulus, or a response that happens when it shouldn’t due to the mimicking of a hormone. EDCs can decrease or increase levels of hormones by affecting the storage, degradation and production of hormones. EDCs can induce epigenetic changes, blocking hormone stimuli. EDCs can also block hormone stimuli by modifying DNA which regulates expression of genes, or by altering target cell receptors’ structures.

EDC exposure has been linked with multiple adverse health outcomes like impaired sperm quality, endometriosis, various cancers, abnormalities in reproductive organs, respiratory problems, altered immune and nervous system function, diabetes, metabolic issues, cardiovascular problems, obesity, learning disabilities, neurological disabilities and growth disabilities. EDCs may cause numerous cancers such as ovarian cancer.

Black women who are of reproductive age typically possess higher markers of EDC exposure. In the past, nobody could understand racial disparities regarding the health outcomes of women regarding uterine cancer, endometriosis and fibroids. However, now things are becoming clear.

DEHP

Phthlates are another problematic chemical found in hair relaxers. These chemicals, often referred to as “plasticizers,” are utilized in order to make some plastics more durable. These chemicals are used commonly in numerous cosmetic products such as chemical hair straighteners and relaxers. These chemicals interfere with the natural production of hormones.

Hair relaxer products which are being named in lawsuits contain phthalates, including DEHP, which is a very toxic chemical that isn’t naturally found in the environment. It is considered carcinogenic. It has been linked to various cancers, infertility, reproductive dysfunction, developmental abnormalities and endometriosis.

Additional chemicals found in hair relaxers include parabens and formaldehyde.

Which toxins in hair straighteners contribute the most to cancer? This is still being figured out.

Why are these chemicals used in these products if they can cause cancer? They’re cheap and they work. Every hair relaxer lawsuit alleges that manufacturers knew about the risks. However, they didn’t do anything to prevent women from developing cancer since it was easier and cheaper to use chemicals which cause cancer. If juries hear this evidence at trial, it will lead to large payouts by juries which will ultimately lead to a huge settlement.

What Can I Be Compensated For?

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with uterine cancer after using chemical hair relaxer or straightener products, you may be eligible to recover damages in a lawsuit against the manufacturer(s) of the hair straightening and/or relaxing product(s) which were used. You may be eligible for financial compensation for:

• Medical bills: You may be eligible to recover financial compensation for any past or future medical bills incurred which are related to your cancer.
• Lost wages: If your cancer has caused you to miss time from work, you may be eligible to recover compensation for any wages you were unable to earn due to missing this time from work.
• Loss of earning capacity: If your cancer has caused you to be permanently unable to work or do the job you used to do, you may be eligible to be compensated for any loss of earning capacity.
• Pain and suffering: Cancer can be a painful disease, both physically and mentally, and you may be eligible to receive compensation for any physical pain and mental suffering caused by developing cancer.
• Wrongful death: If you have lost a loved one to uterine cancer, we are truly sorry for your loss. You may be eligible for financial compensation for wrongful death damages such as funeral and burial expenses, the loss of the love and companionship of your loved one, any income your loved one would have earned had they not died, any pain and suffering your loved one endured before their death, and more.

How Will I Be Compensated?

There are two possible ways you will be compensated after filing a hair straightener lawsuit:

• A settlement: A settlement is when your lawyers negotiate an agreement with the product manufacturers outside of court involving the product manufacturers compensating you financially for your losses.
• A trial verdict: If settlement negotiations fail, you may win financial compensation for your losses in court as the result of a trial verdict against the product manufacturers.

Our product liability lawyers have been representing victims of dangerous products since 1990, have recovered over $750,000,000 on behalf of our clients, and will fight to obtain all of the financial compensation you are entitled to under the law. Call us today for a free consultation.

Filing a Hair Relaxer Lawsuit

Products which are sold in California or other states should always be safe, but, unfortunately, they aren’t always safe.

Filing a hair straightener lawsuit allows you to hold hair straightener manufacturers responsible for selling dangerous products and seek financial compensation for your medical bills, pain, suffering and more.

We know how tough receiving a cancer diagnosis is on you as well as your family. Our hair straightener attorneys will handle every step of the legal process for you in order to make things as stress-free on you as we can.

The legal process in chemical hair straightener lawsuits will generally involve:

• Determining if you have a valid case
• Constructing a strong case through the collection of evidence such as testimony and medical records
• Ensuring your hair straightener lawsuit is filed in time to meet any deadlines
• Negotiations regarding a settlement with the hair straightener manufacturer(s)
• If negotiations fail, trying your case in court

How Long Do I Have to File a Chemical Hair Straightener Lawsuit?

There is a legal time limit to file hair relaxer lawsuits in California and nationwide. That time limit is known as a statute of limitations.

The time limit is two years in California from the date when you became aware or should have known that you had uterine cancer or ovarian cancer and that the cancer may have been caused by a hair straightening or hair relaxing product. Thus, if you were diagnosed with cancer five years ago but just discovered today that your cancer may have been caused by a hair straightening product, you have two years from today to file a lawsuit.

Hair relaxer cancer lawsuits are very complex and it can take a long time to build a convincing, compelling case. It is in your best interest to call our hair relaxer attorneys immediately for a free consultation so we can have as much time as possible to build a successful case for you and file it on time for you.

Grounds for a Hair Straightener Lawsuit

We intend to seek financial compensation for our clients in lawsuits against the manufacturers of hair straightening and hair relaxing products, seeking to recover damages based on legal causes of action such as strict liability – design defect, strict liability – failure to warn, and negligence.

Strict Liability – Design Defect

A product is considered to be defective by design in California if it is unreasonably dangerous when manufactured properly and used properly or in a reasonably foreseeable manner. Nothing went wrong during the manufacturing process to make it dangerous; its design itself is dangerous.

A recent study found that 4.05 percent of those who used chemical hair straightening products over four times in the previous year developed uterine cancer by age 70, compared to 1.64 percent who did not use chemical hair straightening products.

A product which can cause cancer when it is made and used properly is an unreasonably dangerous product, and thus defective by design.

California and other states’ laws allows for those who have been harmed by defective products to recover financial compensation for that harm and any financial losses related to that harm.

Strict Liability – Failure to Warn

California and other states’ laws allows for victims of dangerous products to obtain financial compensation for any harm done to them by those products when the products’ manufacturers knew or should have known their products were dangerous but failed to warn about this danger.

Manufacturers of products sold in California and other states have a duty to stay aware of current scientific knowledge which relates to the safety of their products. When current scientific knowledge shows that a product is dangerous, yet the product’s manufacturer remains unaware of the scientific knowledge, courts will interpret this as an example where the manufacturer should have known their product was dangerous.

Science, as a result of several studies, has known for years that the ingredients in chemical hair straighteners and hair relaxers, specifically phthalates and their metabolites, have been linked with cancer: Study 1 – Study 2 – Study 3 – Study 4 – Study 5

Many hair straighteners contain a particular phthalate known as DI-2-Ethylhexylphthalate (DEHP). According to the CDC:

• DEHP is classified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as reasonably anticipated to be carcinogenic in humans
• DEHP is classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as probably carcinogenic in humans
• DEHP is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a possible human carcinogen

We intend to hold the manufacturers of chemical hair relaxing and hair straightening products accountable for failing to warn that their products could cause cancer despite their products having been linked by science to cancer for years.

Negligence

Negligence is a failure to be reasonably careful for the sake of preventing harm. Acting can be negligent, as can be failing to act. It is negligent to do what a reasonably careful entity wouldn’t do. It is negligent to fail to do what a reasonably careful entity would do.

California law and the laws in other states allow for those harmed by negligent parties to recover financial compensation for that harm from them.

We intend to hold the manufacturers of chemical hair straightening and relaxing products responsible for negligently:

• Failing to warn their products could cause cancer even though they knew or should have known about this danger
• Failing to use reasonable care in the design of their products
• Failing to test their products adequately in order to determine the safety of using them
• Failing to remove the products from the marketplace when they knew or should have known they were dangerous
• Representing to the public that their products were safe when they were not

What Are the Symptoms of Uterine Cancer?

The symptoms of uterine cancer, according to the CDC, include:

• Vaginal bleeding or discharge which isn’t normal for you
• Vaginal bleeding that is abnormally heavy
• Vaginal bleeding which occurs at an abnormal time, such as between periods or after menopause
• Pressure or pain in the pelvis

How Much Do Chemical Hair Straightener Lawyers Cost?

Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers are representing victims of chemical hair straighteners and relaxers on a contingency fee basis. This means that the only fee we charge is a percentage of any recovery we obtain for our clients, and we do not charge any fee if we don’t obtain a recovery.

We never charge an upfront fee and you will never owe us anything out of your own pocket, so you have nothing to lose by calling us today for a free legal consultation.

How to Hold Manufacturers Responsible for Causing Your Cancer

Products such as cosmetics are regulated by the FDA in the United States. Manufacturers need to make sure that cosmetics are safe for consumers who read and follow the instructions on labels, or follow customary procedures regarding the use of products. Hair care products need to meet rigorous standards for safety in order to be effective, safe and not a danger to society.

When consumers purchase hair care products, they have a right to expect these treatments not to harm them or lead to a higher risk of cancer. Hair relaxing product makers have a legal obligation to provide consumers with safe hair care products and warn if ingredients in the products can cause cancer. When manufacturers fail to market safe products or warn regarding their possible dangers, you’re eligible to bring a claim in order to hold them responsible for financially compensating you for the injuries caused by their products.

If you have been injured by a dangerous product like a chemical hair relaxer, turn to an award-winning firm who understands what you are going through. Our legal team of mass tort and product liability attorneys has represented countless injured consumers, and has filed countless product liability lawsuits seeking to recover compensation from manufacturers who create and sell products which harm the public.

If you or a loved one developed cancer after using chemical hair relaxing or straightening products, don’t hesitate to contact the team of attorneys at Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers to talk about your legal rights.

Hair Straightener Lawsuit Updates

July 28, 2026 Update

The judge overseeing the hair relaxer MDL has lifted a discovery stay which has protected Second Wave defendants since December of 2025.

The defendants wished for the pause to be extended while settlement discussions have continued. The plaintiffs opposed an additional delay.

The judge asked if the parties could report actual progress then told them directly that it’s time to litigate.

Second Wave defendants now must need to start producing documents, participating in the pretrial process and answering discovery.

The parties need to propose discovery deadlines prior to an August 20 status conference.

July 13, 2026 Update

A Louisiana plaintiff, in a lawsuit recently filed in the hair relaxer MDL, alleges that she developed ovarian cancer after using chemical hair relaxer products for years.

The complaint names numerous defendants, including:

• Strength of Nature, LLC
• SoftSheen-Carson LLC
• L’Oréal USA Products, Inc.
• L’Oréal USA, Inc.
• Godrej SON Holdings, Inc.

The plaintiff claims she used hair relaxers from around 1979 to about 2024, claiming she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2025.

Products identified in the lawsuit include:

• Just For Me No-Lye Texture Softener System with Hair & Scalp Butter
• Optimum Multi-Mineral Reduced pH Crème Relaxer
• Dark and Lovely Triple Nourished Silkening Relaxer
• Dark and Lovely Healthy Gloss 5 Shea Moisture No Lye Relaxer

July 1, 2026 Update

Three L’Oréal executives have been ordered by a Pennsylvania judge to sit for depositions that will probably include questions about what the company knew about the cancer risk linked to Dark and Lovely in addition to other hair relaxer products.

The executives will include CEO David Greenberg, Head of Product Safety and Assistant Vice President Richard von Stein, and Matthew DiGirolamo, the Chief Corporate Affairs officer for North America. They will be asked to answer questions which may affect over 11,000 hair relaxer lawsuits that are currently pending in state and federal courts around the country.

Von Stein has been called to attend a four-hour deposition no more than 30 days after the order. Greenberg and DiGirolamo have been given 45 days, and no time limit has been mentioned for them.

February 4, 2026 Update

The judge overseeing the federal hair relaxer MDL said she expects to choose three lawsuits for bellwether trials by April 2026.

The lawsuits will test how strong evidence is that chemicals in hair relaxing and straightening products have led to women developing ovarian and uterine cancer.

Manufacturers such as Strength of Nature, Revlon and L’Oreal are facing over 11,000 lawsuits around the country claiming that they didn’t warn about cancer risks linked with products like Optimum, Dark & Lovely and Just for Me.

According to January 29 minutes issued by the court:

• There is a deadline of March 18, 2026 for completion of fact discovery regarding the first 32 cases in the bellwether pool.
• The plaintiffs and defendants have been requested to submit position papers on that same day, choosing 12 cases they think should qualify to be bellwether cases.
• The judge will select three cases by April 1.
• Plaintiffs will choose a single case from these three cases by April 6.
• The defendants will choose another case by April 10.
• The court will choose another group of three potential cases by April 15.
• The plaintiffs will choose one of those by April 24.
• The defendants will choose another by April 30.
• Additional fact discovery for bellwether trials will end on June 10.

January 12, 2026 Update

General causation arguments in the hair straightener MDL are hinging on transdermal absorption of chemicals which disrupt the endocrine system, such as phthalates and parabens.

Hair relaxers, unlike a lot of other cosmetics, are uniquely able to systematically deliver doses of these chemicals because of:

• Dose-response correlation
• Endocrine mimicry pathway
• Enhanced percutaneous absorption

As April 2026’s expert discovery deadline approaches, the focus in the MDL is shifting from if the chemicals are present to long-term users’ cumulative systemic load.

The cases with the highest values may be the cases involving users who can document use with an early onset (such as during adolescence) and a high frequency of use, meaning at least four times per year.

September 17, 2025 Update

The judge overseeing the hair relaxer MDL is going to evaluate important evidence next year, and has indicated that challenges to expert witness testimony’s admissibility need to be filed by April 1 of 2026. The Court will then determine if the findings and opinions are reliable and sound enough to get presented to juries.

These motions are known as Daubert hearings, and are often critical in products liability litigation. They may single-handedly decide the fate of almost 11,000 lawsuits in the litigation.

Defendants commonly attempt to get all of the plaintiffs’ expert witnesses to be dismissed, as this prevents the witnesses from presenting evidence at trial that the defendants’ products caused the plaintiffs to be injured.

However, should the plaintiffs’ expert testimony survive these hearings as well as any summary judgment attempts by the defendants, the bellwether cases will get cleared and move forward.

August 5, 2025 Update

There are now 10,567 cases pending in the hair relaxer MDL.

This represents 285 more cases than were reported at the beginning of July, and reversed a decline in cases during the previous month.

The increase in cases shows that the litigation is still quite active. A lot of women who utilized chemical hair relaxing products for years are only now realizing that their cancers are connected to the products. Since conditions like ovarian and uterine cancer have a latent nature, it’s likely that filings will continue at a gradual pace.

Bellwether trials have not been scheduled. However, things are moving towards a defined roadmap.

The litigation’s next phase will probably focus on general causation challenges and expert discovery.

July 16, 2025 Update

When Will The Hair Straightener Lawsuits Settle?

There have been delays in the schedule for the bellwether trial. The hair relaxer MDL’s discovery record keeps on building pressure – but not the type of pressure which leads to quick settlement talks.

A lack of trial pressure has led to a lack of progress towards litigation resolution. Leverage regarding a settlement usually arises following a court ruling on expert challenges as well as limiting what evidence is admissible. Until this happens, it’s unlikely that defendants will seriously negotiate. So, based upon the way things stand right now, it’s unlikely that things will substantially move towards a settlement until near the end of 2026.

There is good news, however: the cases look quite strong, and we believe it would be foolhardy for defendants to let a case get to trial prior to a settlement being reached.

July 6, 2025 Update

January 8, 2026 will be a “science day” in the hair relaxer MDL.

Defendants and plaintiffs will give scientific presentations on this day in order to educate the judge who presides over the MDL.

The presentations will educate the court regarding medical and scientific concepts and issues which the litigation will involve.

Each side will have two hours to give presentations. The presentations will be given by experts in appropriate fields, such as scientists or medical professionals. State judges who are handling hair relaxer lawsuits may also be invited to attend.

The presentations will allow the court to better rule on important decisions in preparations for the initial bellwether trials in the litigation.

June 23, 2025 Update

Dozens of hair relaxer lawsuits have been formally coordinated into a consolidated mass tort in Pennsylvania.

These cases are now being managed as a unified docket. This allows for streamlined pretrial proceedings and discovery. Around 25 cases are included in this program.

We expect the number of cases to increase. Philadelphia is a place which is attractive for plaintiffs to bring mass tort claims. The city’s courts have a positive track record of providing significant compensation to victims of dangerous substances such as Roundup and paraquat.

There are also coordinated proceedings underway in New York and Georgia, in addition to the federal hair straightener MDL being handled in Illinois.

May 20, 2025 Update

32 cases have been selected by plaintiffs and defendants for bellwether discovery in the chemical hair relaxer MDL.

The cases were selected to be part of a bellwether discovery pool and involve claims that women developed ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer or uterine cancer due to using chemical hair relaxing or chemical hair straightening products.

The court will end up selecting three cases out of the pool by February 2026 to serve as bellwether trials. These trials will help defendants and plaintiffs gauge how juries might respond to claims which are similar and involve over 12,000 other women.

The first bellwether trial will probably not get held until mid-2027.

April 13, 2025 Update

Motions to dismiss filed by Wella AG, Wella Operations US LLC, John Paul Mitchell Systems and Advanced Beauty Inc. have been denied. The denial keeps these defendants in the hair relaxer MDL.

The defendants sought dismissal, claiming that the master complaint did not contain specific allegations which directly linked their products to injuries suffered by the plaintiffs. However, this argument was rejected by a judge, who emphasized that the short-form and master complaints in the MDL need to be read together and considered one operative complaint, providing enough detail to establish a connection which is meaningful between the alleged injuries and the conduct of the defendants.

March 31, 2025 Update

A joint status report to the judge overseeing the hair relaxer MDL provided an update regarding how many documents defendants have produced in discovery: more than 1.1 million documents. The report broke down how many documents have been produced by each defendant – Namaste has produced 460,000 documents alone.

March 15, 2025 Update

The judge overseeing the hair relaxer MDL has outlined a schedule for preparation of bellwether trials. The trials will help to gauge how juries might respond to testimony and evidence which will get repeated in many claims which women have brought and allege that chemical hair straightening products have caused conditions such as ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer and uterine cancer.

The first bellwether trial will not see a jury before 2027.

The list of potential bellwether trials is expected to be reduced to 32 lawsuits by May 9.

Fact discovery is expected to be completed by February 16, 2026. General causation discovery is expected to be completed by March 2, 2026. Daubert motions are expected to be completed by May 15, 2026.

The first three bellwether trials are expected to be selected by the court by February 23, 2026, with three more selected by March 10, 2026. Plaintiffs are expected to select two separate cases by February 27, 2026 and March 13, 2026, and defendants are expected to select two separate cases by March 5, 2026 and March 18, 2026.

Summary judgment motions will be due in November 2026 and replies and responses will be due by early 2027.

March 5, 2025 Update

A lawsuit was filed on February 27 in Illinois alleging that a Mississippi woman died of endometrial cancer because of cancer-causing chemicals in chemical hair straightening products.

The lawsuit names numerous defendants, including L’Real, Strength of Nature, LLC, Godrej Son Holdings, Inc., Namaste Laboratories LLC, Dabur International Ltd. and Softsheen-Carson LLC.

The lawsuit alleges that products such as African Pride, ORS Olive Oil, Dark & Lovely and Just for Me caused the woman to develop endometrial cancer.

The woman allegedly used the products from 2001 through 2017. The woman’s cancer allegedly metastasized and she required harsh chemotherapy which failed to save her life.

February 11, 2025 Update

Lawyers involved in the hair relaxer MDL are reporting that early talks regarding a settlement are focusing on identifying a special master or mediator to oversee possible negotiations.

Plaintiffs are indicating they are now ready to turn in their list of mediators who would be acceptable. However, they are also ready to go with the proposal by the defendants to agree upon mediators by March 20.

The defendants have proposed that the defendants and plaintiffs start meeting to talk about possible special masters or mediators by March 3.

December 4, 2024 Update

The hair relaxer MDL established an assessment of 11 percent regarding gross monetary recoveries in order to compensate lawyers who work on behalf of plaintiffs. The intent is to reward lawyers for significant effort regarding the advancement of litigation, including retaining experts, managing discovery, coordinating case strategy and bellwether trial preparation. The intent is also to reimburse costs such as document storage costs, expert analysis costs and deposition fees.

For plaintiffs involved in the litigation, what this means is that part of their judgment or settlement will be directed towards the funding of work performed by lawyers for the common benefit of all plaintiffs. However, this will likely come out of the fee your lawyer charges, not out of your settlement or judgment.

In other news, 161 cases were added to the hair relaxer MDL in November, bringing the total number of cases to 9,649.

October 21, 2024 Update

Attorneys continue to debate plans regarding a small set of bellwether trials in the hair relaxer MDL for discovery which is case-specific. While this occurs, the judge overseeing the MDL has given parties a deadline of late 2025 in order to finish general fact discovery. This suggests that the initial trials won’t see juries until the year 2026 or later.

Around 8,400 lawsuits are pending in federal court, alleging that manufacturers of chemical hair relaxing and straightening products like Just for Me and Dark & Lovely didn’t warn women regarding the risk that these products may cause ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, uterine cancer or additional injuries.

A document issued by the judge on October 11 directed parties to finish written discovery by February 2025, with completion of oral fact discovery to be completed by September 2025.

Defendants were given until November 2024 by the judge to answer a class action complaint regarding hair relaxers. This complaint is a combination of numerous, nearly identical class action lawsuits which have been filed by plaintiffs who didn’t suffer physical injuries but seek medical monitoring expenses and refunds.

October 3, 2024 Update

The judge presiding over the hair relaxer MDL rejected a motion to dismiss class action lawsuits which are being pursued against cosmetics companies.

Early February saw defendants file a motion to dismiss the class action lawsuits. That motion argued that federal law preempts economic harm claims, and that the plaintiffs failed to alleged sufficient injury claims in order to pursue class action status. The judge rejected these arguments.

Cosmetics manufacturers are also facing over 8,400 individual lawsuits in addition to the class action lawsuits. The individual lawsuits allege that women developed injuries including uterine cancer and ovarian cancer after using chemical hair straightening and relaxing products. The lawsuits allege that the manufacturers knew these products could cause cancer but failed to warn about this risk.

In other news, 200 cases were added to the hair straightener MDL in September, which now involves 8,393 pending cases.

September 5, 2024 Update

August saw over 200 cases added to the hair straightener MDL. This was the most cases added to the MDL in a month for many months. This brought the total number of pending cases to 8,489.

August 26, 2024 Update

Lawyers for the plaintiffs in the hair relaxer MDL are frustrated with the compliance of Revlon regarding pretrial discovery. They have filed a motion to force the company to meet obligations.

The lawyers have expressed concerns about the company’s failure to respond adequately to interrogatories and document requests. Lawyers for Revlon explained they had to review about 900,000 pages in order to provide complete responses. The court ordered the company to start producing responses in a rolling fashion and to complete production by August 9.

This didn’t occur. While the company has provided interrogatory responses and produced around 900 documents totaling about 6,000 pages, they failed to give a clear timeline regarding completion of the production. Discovery has been significantly hampered by this delay.

Because of these delays, plaintiffs’ lawyers are asking the court to order the company to complete production and review of the 900,000 document pages by September 15, or a date which the court deems appropriate. The plaintiffs are also asking Revlon’s lawyers to certify that production of documents is substantially completed by September 15. It is also suggested by the plaintiffs that if the company fails to do these things, sanctions should be considered by the court, such as denying claims of privilege or objections by Revlon regarding the documents.

August 14, 2024 Update

Lawyers representing women, who number in the thousands, who are pursuing hair straightener lawsuits regarding the development of cancers and additional injuries, have told the judge overseeing the hair relaxer MDL that CVS or Walgreens will not be included on the master complaint.

The lawyers noted that CVS and Walgreens have only been named in a single hair straightener lawsuit each.

Should any people wish to include a claim against CVS or Walgreens in a hair relaxer lawsuit, the attorneys suggested the companies could be manually included as defendants on short form complaints.

On the same date, it is indicated by a docket entry that the plaintiffs and defendants are at an impasse regarding a proposal to dismiss hair straightener lawsuits which involve injuries other than endometrial, uterine or ovarian cancer, which lawyers for the plaintiffs in the MDL indicated previously won’t be supported by the current litigation.

In June of last year, Revlon filed for bankruptcy, leading to a rush of lawsuits getting filed by those who suspected they had ovarian, endometrial or uterine cancer, so they could submit cases before their ability to sue was blocked by bankruptcy protections. Later on, many women discovered they weren’t diagnosed with these cancer types, which are now the focus of the hair straightener MDL.

The parties have been discussing an agreement which would allow voluntary dismissal of the claims without prejudice, meaning the women would be able to refile claims later on if they’re diagnosed with ovarian, endometrial or uterine cancer, or in the case new evidence emergences.

The plaintiffs and defendants have talked to resolve differences regarding this proposal, but it has been indicated by the court that the parties have not been able to reach an agreement, with the judge overseeing the MDL indicating if it’s needed for arguments to happen before the court to resolve the problem, they will end up being scheduled after August 29.

July 23, 2024 Update

Federal regulators’ proposal to ban formaldehyde from being used in chemical hair relaxing and straightening products, which cancer risks have been linked to, has been moved back until September, according to documents which were recently released.

The ban was first proposed in October 2023 by the FDA, and would affect not only formaldehyde but also chemicals which release it, like methylene glycol.

The agency originally indicated the rule would get finalized by April 2024, but April passed without the ban being finalized, and a lot of products are still being sold as hair relaxers or straighteners with formaldehyde, which might lead to ovarian cancer, uterine cancer or other injuries developing.

A reason for this delay hasn’t been provided. News agencies are reporting that officials with the FDA say that adopting rules like this takes time, requiring approvals at numerous levels in the agency.

Manufacturers like Revlon and L’Oreal are facing thousands of lawsuits alleging that chemical hair relaxing and straightening products have caused women to develop injuries such as ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer and uterine cancer.

Formaldehyde is considered a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the U.S. National Toxicology Program. The EPA considers the chemical a probable human carcinogen.

July 17, 2024 Update

A lawsuit was filed on July 10 by a woman from Michigan against Luster Products, Strength of Nature and L’Oreal. The lawsuit alleges that products made by these companies caused the woman to develop endometrial cancer, which she was diagnosed with in February 2021.

July 2, 2024 Update

June saw 22 new cases added to the hair relaxer MDL, bringing the total number of cases to 8,192.

Two reasons exist for the slowing of growth of this litigation. One is that less victims are seeking lawyers – our law firm is not getting as many calls on this as we once were. Second is that interest has been renewed in filing hair relaxer lawsuits in state court.

June 3, 2024 Update

The total number of cases which are pending in the hair relaxer MDL fell by almost 300 in May. This is due to plaintiffs opting to not move forward with cases which involve injuries that are not cancer. 8,170 cases are now pending in the MDL.

May 26, 2024 Update

Defendants are claiming that some Plaintiffs’ firms are trying to circumvent a case management order by submitting blank or almost blank Plaintiff Fact Sheets to meet deadlines.

The defendants say this tactic delays reception of PFS Warning Letters, granting plaintiffs more time to comply with obligations. The defendants are claiming it takes time in order for them to review PFSs, realize that some PFSs are blank, then send plaintiffs Warning Letters, and that this might provide 30-day periods to cure deficiencies.

This practice is not widespread. The defendants are claiming 65 plaintiffs submitted blank PFSs. There are probably only a few law firms who are engaged in this practice – a very small fraction of all of the lawsuits. However, if allegations by defendants are correct, the defendants are correct to complain about it and lawyers for the plaintiffs who are engaging in this conduct need to shape up.

May 21, 2024 Update

Lawyers representing women who are currently pursuing hair straightener and hair relaxer lawsuits have asked the judge overseeing the hair relaxer MDL to dismiss claims without prejudice involving injuries that are not ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer or uterine cancer, thus allowing these women to refile future claims if they develop new injuries or diagnoses in the future.

The motion to dismiss the lawsuits notes that these women felt pressured to file timely claims despite not having been able to secure necessary medical records to confirm specific diagnoses on short notice, and that when their cases were filed, the women believed they had diagnoses of endometrial, uterine or ovarian cancer when they did not.

The motion notes it is “highly likely” that at least some of the plaintiffs will end up being diagnosed later on with one of the above cancer forms.

Thousands of lawsuits allege that chemical hair relaxing and straightening products have caused women to develop numerous forms of cancer.

May 7, 2024 Update

A new round of defendants was added to the hair relaxer MDL. The defendants added to the MDL include:

• Bonner Brothers, Inc.
• John Paul Mitchell Systems, Inc.
• Murrays Worldwide, Inc.
• Wella Operations US, LLC
• Wella AG
• RNA Corp
• Advance Beauty Systems, Inc.
• Roux Laboratories

The defendants will end up on a separate MDL track regarding the bellwether process and discovery.

An additional group of defendants is being investigated, but no confirmation exists right now whether a third wave of defendants will be seen.

Lawsuits in the MDL allege that exposure to phthalates in chemical hair relaxing and straightening products has caused women to develop ovarian or uterine cancer.

Over 8,400 cases are pending in the MDL.

May 6, 2024 Update

Federal regulators missed a deadline which was self-imposed regarding banning usage of formaldehyde in chemical hair straightening and relaxing products, and this move is expected to eventually lead to hair relaxer recalls over concerns of cancer.

In October 2023, the FDA proposed banning formaldehyde in the products, including banning chemicals which release formaldehyde like methylene glycol. The FDA indicated it expected this rule to be finalized by April 2024, but it is now May 2024 and no word has been given regarding the final rule. Numerous products are still sold which contain formaldehyde, which may lead to injuries such as ovarian cancer and uterine cancer developing.

In other news, 81 cases were added to the hair relaxer MDL in April, bringing the total number of pending cases to 8,468.

April 4, 2024 Update

As of April 1, there were 8,387 cases pending in the hair relaxer MDL.

March 17, 2024 Update

Attorneys are requesting the judge overseeing hair relaxer litigation to reject cosmetic manufacturers’ effort to have claims from class action lawsuits dismissed, indicating these manufacturers are simply restating failed arguments which the court already rejected. The defendants argued federal law preempts claims regarding economic harm, that sufficient claims of injury haven’t been filed by plaintiffs, and that plaintiffs lack the standing to establish a class action.

As of March 1, there were at least 8,334 lawsuits in the hair relaxer/hair straightener MDL, claiming that women developed ovarian cancer, uterine cancer or other injuries after being exposed to chemical hair relaxing or straightening products such as ORS Olive Oil, Optimum, Just for Me or Dark & Lovely.

March 9, 2024 Update

According to a March 1 docket report, at least 8,334 lawsuits have been filed alleging that chemical hair relaxing and straightening products caused women to develop ovarian cancer, fibroids, uterine cancer or other injuries. The lawsuits allege the products’ manufacturers knew or should have known of the risks associated with their products but failed to warn about them.

February 8, 2024 Update

The manufacturer of chemical hair relaxing and hair straightening products filed a motion seeking to dismiss a class action lawsuit that seeks damages for consumers claiming they were unknowingly exposed to the risk of ovarian cancer and uterine cancer, as well as other injuries. Consumers in this class action are not necessarily claiming they have been diagnosed with a specific health condition. The defendants are claiming that federal law preempts the damages, that a sufficient injury claim hasn’t been filed by the plaintiffs, and that the plaintiffs do not have the proper standing to file the class action lawsuit. If this motion to dismiss is successful, the thousands of individual hair relaxer lawsuits which have been filed across the country will not be affected.

January 25, 2024 Update

Attorneys involved in federal hair straightener lawsuits met today with the judge presiding over the hair relaxer MDL in order to review proposals for selection of bellwether cases. Plaintiffs continued to push for the initial trials to be composed only of cases where women were diagnosed with endometrial, uterine or ovarian cancer.

The plaintiffs argued that most of the cases in the MDL are cases involving cancer, and that addressing these cancer types first allows for guidance regarding the valuation and viability of the lion’s share of the docket.

Thousands of lawsuits have been filed in the past year, alleging that the manufacturers of popular chemical hair straightening and hair relaxing products, such as Optimum, ORS Olive Oil, Just For Me and Dark & Lovely, knew that their products contained dangerous endocrine-disrupting chemicals but failed to warn that these chemicals could cause injuries such as cancer.

December 26, 2023 Update

A recent study has found that using chemical hair relaxers on a long-term basis is associated with a higher uterine cancer risk in post-menopausal black women. The study found that being exposed to chemicals found in chemical hair straightening and relaxing products can increase the risk that black women develop uterine cancer by up to 70 percent, depending on the woman’s age, how often she uses the products and for how long she uses them.

November 13, 2023 Update

Efforts by manufacturers of chemical hair straightening and hair relaxing products to dismiss claims numbering in the thousands have been rejected by the judge in charge of the hair relaxer MDL. The claims allege that women developed injuries such as ovarian cancer and uterine cancer after using the hair products.

The defendants had filed a motion to dismiss which claimed that federal law preempted the lawsuits, and that the plaintiffs’ claims were not adequately presented. Judge Mary Rowland rejected these claims by the defendants on November 13.

October 16, 2023 Update

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has proposed a new rule which would ban formaldehyde, as well as other chemicals which can release formaldehyde, from the use in hair straightening or hair smoothing products which are marketed in the U.S. The proposed rule notes that the use of hair smoothing products which contain formaldehyde and chemicals which release formaldehyde has been linked with adverse health effects such as an increased risk of cancer.

August 15, 2023 Update

On August 15, 2023, a consolidated class action complaint was filed regarding chemical hair straighteners and chemical hair relaxers. The complaint lists over 145 counts against makers of the products. The complaint claims the manufacturers violated over 20 states’ laws. The complaint alleges the products can cause cancer and seeks medical monitoring for the plaintiffs.

August 3, 2023 Update

On August 3, 2023, a Short Form Complaint was approved in the hair relaxer MDL. The complaint will end up being filed in each action in the MDL. The complaint will identify specific injuries and products involved in each claim, and will adopt specific claims in the master complaint which are relevant to plaintiffs.

July 18, 2023 Update

87 new hair straightener lawsuits got added to the hair relaxer multidistrict litigation in June. This represents the largest monthly total regarding new cases added to the MDL since the inception of the MDL. The number of cases being added to the MDL has steadily increased each month for four months. As of July 18, 2023, there were 236 cases pending in the MDL.

July 10, 2023 Update

A new study found that beauty salon workers face over three times the risk of developing ovarian cancer when compared to other workers. The finding comes as the role of products like chemical hair straighteners and hair relaxers in the development of ovarian cancer is facing increased scrutiny due to lawsuits.

May 15, 2023 Update

On May 15, 2023, a master complaint was filed in the hair relaxer/hair straightener MDL. This complaint may be used by any plaintiff who brings a claim in the MDL as long as the plaintiff adopts certain allegations by using a short-form complaint. The master complaints accuses the defendants of “wrongful marketing practices.” The complaint alleges the defendants “systematically misrepresented” impacts on health caused by chemical hair straighteners and hair relaxers. The complaint alleges that women suffered injuries such as ovarian cancer and uterine cancer as a result of using chemical hair relaxer and chemical hair straighteners.

April 17, 2023 Update

According to an April 2023 docket report, over 100 lawsuits have now been filed against the manufacturers of chemical hair relaxing and hair straightening products.

March 14, 2023 Update

U.S. District Judge Mary M. Rowland, who is presiding over pretrial and discovery proceedings in the hair relaxer MDL, recently asked the plaintiffs and defendants to work with one another to draft what is known as a direct filing order. The drafting of a direct filing order is the first step towards the creation of a master and short form complaint, which allows future plaintiffs to file a lawsuit directly through the MDL court rather than needing to wait for a lawsuit to be transferred into the MDL from a court in a different district.

March 7, 2023 Update

There is a strict deadline for those who wish to file claims seeking financial compensation for injuries caused by hair relaxing products made by Revlon, since the company has filed for bankruptcy. A bankruptcy judge recently extended this deadline until April 11, 2023. Call us now for a free consultation. We can help you file a successful claim against Revlon and make sure it is filed correctly and on time.

February 6, 2023 Update

The United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation recently consolidated dozens of hair relaxer lawsuits into a multidistrict litigation (MDL), to be handled in the Northern District of Illinois. The lawsuits claim that chemical hair relaxing products caused uterine cancer, uterine fibroids, breast cancer, endometriosis and ovarian cancer, and that the manufacturers of the products knew or should have known they could cause these conditions but didn’t warn about it.

Hair Straightener Uterine Cancer Lawyers

If you intend to hold manufacturers of chemical hair straightening and relaxing products responsible for your uterine cancer or ovarian cancer, you’ll need lawyers by your side who have been dealing with product liability law for decades, lawyers like Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers. We have decades of experience in successfully obtaining financial compensation for the victims of defective products such as Paraquat, AFFF firefighting foam and Bard PowerPort.

Because we have been handling product liability cases for decades, we know all of the ins and outs of proving that the products that harmed our clients are defective, and that the manufacturers of the products that harmed our clients were negligent.

If you or a loved one was diagnosed with uterine cancer after using chemical hair straightener or relaxer products, call us today for a free consultation so we can start the process of obtaining the financial compensation and justice that you deserve.