Allegations against L’Oréal and other manufacturers suggest that chemical hair straightener products may lead to cancer and other health complications. Lawsuits argue that these companies failed to adequately warn consumers about the potential risks, including heightened chances of uterine, endometrial, and ovarian cancer.
Current Status of Chemical Hair Straightener Lawsuits
As of February 2024, a staggering 8,217 lawsuits concerning chemical hair straighteners are pending in multidistrict litigation within the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Illinois, out of a total of 8,351 cases filed. Legal experts anticipate a continued influx of lawsuits and are actively receiving new cases. Notably, there have been no trials or overarching settlements sanctioned within the Illinois MDL thus far.
Recent Developments in Lawsuit Proceedings
- January 2024: Legal activities persisted, with both parties refining their trial protocols for bellwether cases. Additionally, plaintiffs sought to compel discovery from defendant L’Oréal USA.
- November 2023: Witnessing exponential growth, the number of pending lawsuits in the Illinois MDL surged to 7,967.
- August 2023: An additional 39 hair relaxer cancer lawsuits were added to the Illinois MDL.
- July 2023: Over 230 cases were awaiting resolution within the Illinois hair relaxer MDL.
- June 2023: Despite originating from 152 lawsuits, 149 cases remained pending in the Illinois MDL.
- March 2023: By this time, 78 cases awaited adjudication within the Illinois MDL.
- February 2023: The U.S. Panel on Multidistrict Litigation centralized all hair straightener lawsuits within the Northern District of Illinois.
- January 2023: Tamara Sigars initiated legal action against L’Oréal and other entities following her ovarian cancer diagnosis.
- November 2022: A motion was filed to consolidate all hair straightener lawsuits into multidistrict litigation in Illinois.
- November 2022: Carla G. Rose and Dollie Dillon commenced a class action against Dabur International and Namaste Laboratories to recover the purchase price of hair straightening products.
- October 2022: Jenny Mitchell became one of the initial litigants to sue L’Oréal and other firms after being diagnosed with uterine cancer.
- October 2022: A study funded by the NIH revealed an elevated risk of uterine cancer, breast cancer, fibroids, and other serious ailments among women who use hair straighteners.
The inception of the Illinois MDL stemmed from a collection of individual injury cases, augmented by a class action demanding full reimbursement for defective products.
