Women who have developed uterine cancer after years of using carcinogenic chemical hair relaxers have recently received the scientific evidence they needed to validate their claims. This is a welcome relief for many women who have been financially, physically, and emotionally harmed by beauty companies’ negligence.
If you have been diagnosed with uterine cancer after prolonged use of chemical hair relaxers, you may have questions about what damages may qualify for compensation. The experienced product liability lawyers of Dolman Law Group are available to review your case in a free consultation. Our team will protect your rights while we work tirelessly to recover maximum compensation for your claim.
Uterine Cancer Risk Increases With the Use of Chemical Hair Relaxers
Researchers have identified the heavy use of chemical hair relaxers as a major health threat. When used 4 or more times a year, chemical hair relaxers double a woman’s risk of developing uterine cancer. These findings come from a study conducted by the National Institute of Health. Additionally, they warned that Black women are at a higher risk because they are more likely to use chemical hair relaxers heavily.
Based on this NIH study and other recent findings, women have begun to file product liability lawsuits against the makers of chemical hair relaxers. They believe that companies like L’Oreal had an obligation to provide appropriate warning labels on their products, and in the absence of that they are at fault for the damages their customers have sustained.
Plaintiffs Seek Compensatory Damages for Their Injuries
Numerous beauty companies have been named in these hair relaxer uterine cancer lawsuits. Plaintiffs are currently awaiting a decision to hear if their claims can be consolidated into a multidistrict litigation, which would reduce the burden on individual claimants. If they are found liable, they could be responsible for millions of dollars worth of damages for the women who were harmed as a result of their negligence.
There are a few types of damages in personal injury lawsuits, but the primary focus is typically on compensatory damages. Compensatory damages may be economic or non-economic in nature, and they exist to reimburse the plaintiff for the costs they have sustained due to the defendant’s negligence.
Uterine Cancer Patients Face Staggering Medical Bills
Many women who undergo treatment for uterine cancer have ongoing medical expenses. Common costs associated with uterine cancer diagnosis and treatment include:
- Medication
- Surgery
- Imaging
- Lab tests
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Hormone therapy
- Hospital stays
The early signs of uterine cancer may initially be overlooked or confused with other conditions. Healthcare providers typically rely on pelvic exams, blood tests, and medical imaging such as transvaginal ultrasounds to diagnose uterine cancer. Their time and services, as well as the cost of their staff, can accumulate quickly, and that’s just for a diagnosis. Depending on the location and extent of your cancer, your provider may recommend one or more treatment options, which can take months to undergo.
Then, there are side effects and complications associated with each treatment option, ranging from surgical site infections and organ damage to nausea and fatigue. The medication to treat an issue like a surgical site infection is yet another expense to account for, as is the extra time in the hospital to monitor the condition. As a result of these circumstances, the cost of cancer treatments is often exorbitant.
Emotional Losses Like Pain and Suffering Impact Women With Uterine Cancer
The psychological effect of invasive, painful treatments can take a toll on women with uterine cancer, leading them to lose their quality of life. Unfortunately, treatments for uterine cancer often mean additional emotional losses. The most common treatment for uterine cancer is a hysterectomy. This surgery removes the uterus, and potentially other parts of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, cervix, and Fallopian tubes. As a result, a woman can no longer have children, and she may enter into menopause depending on the extent of the hysterectomy.
This often means significant pain and suffering for the patient. The experience of surgery and loss of fertility can lead to physical and emotional pain. Both physical and emotional pain can prevent you from enjoying everyday life and hobbies, caring for your family, maintaining relationships, and performing your job. Calculating the value of pain and suffering is a subjective process, which is the case for evaluating most non-economic damages.
Uterine Cancer Patients May Suffer From Lost Wages and Compromised Income
As personal injury lawyers, we often see clients whose jobs or careers are jeopardized by cancer treatment. Cancer may force you to take time off to attend specialists’ appointments, follow-up care, chemo and radiation therapy, or simply recover from the side effects of your treatment regimen. Once you’ve missed enough work, you may have to stretch your budget to accommodate for lost wages. If you are the primary breadwinner, this may jeopardize your housing situation and food security.
In the short term, missing work is primarily a financial burden, but in the long term, you may reduce your earning capacity. In some cases, it may be necessary for you to consider taking a leave of absence, switching to a less strenuous job, or forfeiting a promotion. These actions can permanently derail your career prospects.
Costs Associated With Wrongful Death Can Be Compensated
While survival rates for uterine cancer have improved in general, Black women are twice as likely to die from uterine cancer. This context is critical considering the fact that Black women use chemical hair relaxers at higher rates than other racial groups. In a wrongful death claim, the families of women who have died from uterine cancer related to chemical hair relaxer usage can recover compensation for their financial and emotional losses. This includes losses like:
- Loss of services and support
- Loss of parent guidance
- Loss of consortium
- Funeral and burial costs
Under Florida law, damages like the value of the deceased party’s domestic and emotional labor have value. For example, consider a family with young children who lost their mother to uterine cancer after long-term use of chemical hair relaxers. The children will be deprived of her guidance and instruction in everything from school to relationships.
Her family also loses a paycheck, transportation for the children, and someone to share the burden of laundry, cooking, and cleaning. Her partner loses an intimate relationship and her companionship. These costs can potentially be compensated in a wrongful death lawsuit.
Why Should I Choose Dolman Law Group to Represent Me?
Dolman Law Group is regarded as one of Florida’s leading personal injury law firms, and we have grown to a nationwide presence. We have built this reputation based on our unparalleled work ethic, and ability to secure outstanding results for our injured clients. As personal injury lawyers who specialize in product liability, we are highly qualified to handle mass tort claims like the hair relaxer uterine cancer cases.
You should be confident that your personal injury lawyer will respect your concerns and give your case the individualized attention it deserves. At Dolman Law Group, you can expect a diligent team of advocates who are invested in the outcome of your claim.
You can benefit from our firm’s extensive resources while still receiving the attention of an award-winning product liability attorney who knows the details of your claim. As your hair relaxer uterine cancer lawyers, we will help you calculate what your claim is worth and then dedicate ourselves to securing the compensation you deserve.
Contact Dolman Law Group for Help With Your Hair Relaxer Uterine Cancer Lawsuit
In the aftermath of a uterine cancer diagnosis, you may feel unprepared to deal with the additional stress of pursuing damages in a chemical hair relaxer uterine cancer lawsuit. However, filing a product liability claim is critical to obtaining the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
You need a personal injury attorney who won’t shy away from holding negligent beauty companies accountable for the carcinogens in their products, even if that means taking your claim to court to secure a fair settlement. The product liability lawyers of Dolman Law Group have been supporting injured clients for over a decade.
Our invaluable experience and strategic approach to negotiations have yielded impressive results and earned the trust of thousands of clients. We encourage you to reach out to our team as soon as possible to schedule a free consultation with one of our product liability attorneys to discuss your hair relaxer uterine cancer lawsuit.