Hair relaxers contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that have carcinogenic properties and can cause cancer. Recent scientific studies have found that women who use hair relaxers at least four times a year can expose themselves to a higher risk of cancer, such as uterine, breast, and ovarian cancer.
People living with cancer from hair relaxers could file a hair relaxer lawsuit to pursue compensation for damages caused by manufacturer and retailer negligence. Some of the damages you could recover for a hair relaxer cancer lawsuit include medical bills, lost earning potential, and pain and suffering.
The experienced product liability lawyers at The Russo Firm can help hair relaxer cancer victims by calculating their current and future damages, determining the liable party, and negotiating a settlement with the at-fault party’s insurance company.
Uterine Cancer Caused by Hair Relaxer Use
The most common type of cancer caused by hair relaxer use is called uterine cancer, which is a type of cancer that affects the uterus. The increased awareness of how hair relaxer use can cause cancer has led to many hair relaxer uterine cancer lawsuits. A scientific study from the National Institute of Health showed that women who use hair relaxers at least four times a year had double the risk of uterine cancer. Hair relaxers contain carcinogenic endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which can seep into the body through scalp absorption and cause uterine cancer.
Uterine cancer comes in two forms: Endometrial cancer, which affects the uterus’ inner lining (endometrium), and uterine sarcoma, which affects the uterus’ muscle wall (myometrium). Some symptoms that uterine cancer can cause victims to experience include abdominal pain, thin white or clear vaginal discharge, and irregular vaginal bleeding. People living with uterine cancer from hair relaxer use can file product liability lawsuits to pursue compensation for damages.
Uterine Fibroids Caused by Hair Relaxer Use
Continuous exposure to the carcinogenic chemicals in hair relaxers can also cause uterine fibroids. Otherwise known as leiomyomas or myomas, these are cancerous growths that appear in the uterus. These growths occur most prominently in childbearing years and have nothing to do with uterine cancer. These are separate medical conditions, and uterine fibroids rarely develop into uterine cancer.
How uterine fibroids manifest depends on the severity of the condition, as a victim can have a single fibroid or multiple fibroids. They can also range in size from small, undetectable seedlings to massive growths that can distort the shape of the uterus.
The following are some of the symptoms of uterine fibroids:
- Menstrual bleeding
- Pelvic pain
- Frequent urination
- Constipation
- Backaches and leg pain
Hair Relaxer Use Can Cause Breast Cancer
The carcinogenic EDCs contained in hair relaxers can also cause breast cancer, one of the most common forms of cancer for women. According to a study by the International Journal of Cancer, adolescent use of hair relaxers can increase the risk of a woman suffering from breast cancer. Early and consistent exposure to EDCs can make it more likely for a woman to suffer from cancer, with breast cancer being one of the most severe.
Breast cancer occurs when cells in the breasts grow out of control. It can affect the three main parts of the breast: lobules, ducts, and connective tissue. Breast cancer can metastasize by spreading outside of the breasts through blood and lymph vessels. Some breast cancer symptoms include swelling of the breast, breast pain, nipple discharge, and irritation of the breast’s skin.
Chemical Hair Relaxers Can Cause Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer involves the abnormal growth of cells in the ovaries that can destroy the body’s tissue. Women have two ovaries, with one on each side of the uterus, that can be affected by EDCs in hair relaxers. Ovarian cancer normally requires surgery to heal the damage.
The following are some of the symptoms of ovarian cancer:
- Abdominal bloating
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Back pain
- Constipation
- Frequent urination
Damages in a Hair Relaxer Lawsuit
Women who have cancer because of hair relaxer use can file a hair relaxer cancer lawsuit to pursue compensation for damages. These are losses associated with your cancer diagnosis. You could pursue compensation for economic damages, which are losses with a monetary value, and non-economic damages, which are intangible losses that reflect your worsened standard of living. A product liability lawyer can speak with medical experts and consult your cancer expenses to calculate the full cost of your current and future damages.
The following are some of the damages you could pursue compensation for in a hair relaxer cancer lawsuit:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Lost earning potential
- Loss of consortium
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Mental anguish
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of society
How Can a Product Liability Lawyer Help You With Your Hair Relaxer Lawsuit?
Hiring a product liability lawyer can put you in the best position to recover fair compensation for your hair relaxer cancer damages. They will have experience handling litigation regarding injuries and illnesses caused by dangerous products, such as hair relaxers containing carcinogenic chemicals. They can handle the claim and allow you to focus on your cancer recovery.
Some ways a product liability lawyer can help with a hair relaxer cancer lawsuit include assessing your damages, determining the at-fault party, collecting evidence, and negotiating a fair settlement with the at-fault party’s insurance company. They can also keep you up-to-date on any hair relaxer class action lawsuits you can become a part of and access a potential global settlement.
Contact The Russo Firm for Help With Your Hair Relaxer Lawsuit
At The Russo Firm, our product liability lawyers understand how hair relaxers and EDCs can cause cancer and wish to help you pursue compensation. We know the studies that established the connection between consistent hair relaxer usage and cancer. We can use that knowledge and our experience with product liability lawsuits to put you in the best position to recover fair compensation for the full cost of your damages.
The Russo Firm’s product liability attorneys offer free consultations to hair relaxer cancer victims to show how they can help you pursue compensation for damages. Contact us at (561) 270-0913 or leave a message on our online contact page.
