Hair relaxers that contain parabens, formaldehyde and other chemicals present serious health risks for their users. This is well-known, and it has now been proven in multiple scientific studies. Yet, manufacturers continue to sell these products without clearly disclosing the risks their use entails.
With this in mind, if you have been affected by a chemical hair relaxer, you may have legal options. This is true whether you used a dangerous chemical hair relaxer yourself or your spouse, partner, parent, child or another family member has used a dangerous chemical hair relaxer in the past. Understanding your legal options starts with understanding your specific circumstances, and the best way to make informed decisions about your legal rights is to consult with a lawyer as soon as possible.
Understanding Your Situation if Youâve Been Affected by a Chemical Hair Relaxer
Although individual circumstances vary, most women and families who have been affected by chemical hair relaxers have legal options available. With that said, once you know you have a claim (or once you know you may have a claim), the clock starts ticking. Even if you have clear grounds to file a chemical hair straightener lawsuit, you can lose your ability to assert your legal rights if you donât take action in time. This is one reasonâamong manyâwhy it is important to speak with a lawyer about your legal options right away.
When you hire a lawyer to assess your legal options, your lawyer will go over several questions with you during your initial consultation. These will include questions such as:
- Where did you (or your loved one) use a chemical hair relaxer (at home or at a hair salon)?
- How many times did you (or your loved one) use a chemical hair relaxer?
- Which brand of chemical hair relaxer did you (or your loved one) use?
- How long has it been since you (or your loved one) last used a chemical hair relaxer?
- How long has it been since your (or your loved oneâs) diagnosis?
While these are all important questions for assessing your legal rights, there are no ârightâ answers. The point of asking these questions is to gain a clear and comprehensive understanding of your specific circumstances. Once your lawyer understands your specific circumstances, then your lawyer will be able to give you personalized advice about whether it makes sense to pursue any legal options you may have available.
Legal Options for Women and Families Affected By Chemical Hair Relaxers
The primary legal option available to women and families affected by chemical hair relaxers is to file a chemical hair relaxer lawsuit. These lawsuits fall into two broad categories:
1. Product Liability Lawsuits
Women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, and other health problems linked to chemical hair relaxers can file product liability lawsuits against these productsâ manufacturers. Product liability laws hold manufacturers accountable for selling dangerous and defective productsâincluding chemical-containing products that cause cancers and other serious health conditions. Under these laws, manufacturers can be held accountable for both:
- Selling dangerous chemical hair relaxers; and,
- Failing to adequately warn about the risks associated with their products.
Filing a product liability lawsuit affords the opportunity to recover just compensation for all of the financial and non-financial costs women endure as a result of using dangerous chemical hair relaxers. This includes all of the costs of diagnosing and treating their cancers and other health problems. But, it includes many other costs as well. Loss of earnings (present and future), emotional trauma, pain and suffering, loss of consortium and companionship, and loss of enjoyment of life are all costs for which affected women canâand shouldâseek just compensation.
If you have a product liability lawsuit for cancer or other harm caused by a chemical hair relaxer, you can hire a lawyer to file your lawsuit at no out-of-pocket cost. Your lawyer will represent you throughout the process, and will deal with the manufacturerâs insurance company and defense lawyers while you focus on getting better. If your lawyer receives a settlement offer, he or she will help you decide whether it is in your best interests to settle; and, if you do not receive a satisfactory settlement offer, your lawyer will take your case to court.
2. Wrongful Death Lawsuits
Tragically, the cancers and other health problems caused by dangerous chemical hair relaxers can prove fatal in some cases. If you have lost a spouse, partner, child, parent or other loved one who was diagnosed with a serious medical condition after using a chemical hair relaxer, your family may have a claim for wrongful death.
Breast cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer and the other health problems linked to dangerous chemical hair relaxers can all cause a shortened life expectancy. No family should have to endure the tragedy of losing a loved one too soon, especially when their loved oneâs death is the result of using a dangerous product. In wrongful death cases, grieving families can seek compensation for their financial and non-financial losses; and, while this is nowhere near enough, it is the best our legal system has to offer.
Family members who have a wrongful death claim can also hire a lawyer to pursue their legal options at no out-of-pocket cost. At Searcy Denney, we are assisting families nationwide, and we are handling all chemical hair relaxer lawsuits on contingency. This means that our legal fees, if any, are calculated as a percentage of the amount we help our clients recover.
Discuss Your Legal Options with a Lawyer at Searcy Denney for Free
If you have questions about your legal options related to your (or a loved oneâs) use of a dangerous chemical hair relaxer, we strongly encourage you to get in touch. To speak with an experienced lawyer at Searcy Denney in confidence as soon as possible, call 800-780-8607 or tell us how we can reach you online today.
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