A recent National Institute of Health (NIH) study discovered that using hair relaxers at least four times a year can double a woman’s risk of uterine cancer. Other studies have also found that hair relaxer use can also cause uterine fibroids, which are muscular tumors that can appear in the uterus. Both of these medical conditions can be treated with a hysterectomy, which is a type of surgery that removes part of or all of the uterus.
Since a hysterectomy involves the removal of the uterus, it naturally affects one’s reproductive ability as well rendering them sterile. Hysterectomies can also potentially lead to health complications, such as blood clots, urinary tract infections, and severe bleeding. Those who require a hysterectomy because of hair relaxer uterine cancer or uterine fibroids can suffer significant monetary and psychological impact and can pursue compensation for damages through a hair relaxer lawsuit.
Hair Relaxer Use Can Cause Uterine Cancer
Many women have filed hair relaxer lawsuits based on research by the National Institute of Health (NIH) establishing a connection between hair relaxer use and uterine cancer. An October 2022 NIH study assessed data collected by the Sister Study, a study conducted by an NIH subsidiary, to determine whether hair product use could cause adverse medical conditions. The Sister Study involved women answering questionnaires annually about their hair care product use and health conditions.
The NIH study looked at the data of 33,497 women involved in the Sister Study and found that 378 cases of uterine cancer were reported over eleven years. They also discovered that women who use hair relaxers at least four times a year doubled their risk of a uterine cancer diagnosis. Uterine cancer is a form of cancer that can affect the uterus’ inner lining (endometrium) or muscle wall (myometrium). It can cause significant pelvic and abdominal pain, excessive vaginal bleeding, and abnormal vaginal discharge.
Uterine Fibroids Caused by Consistent Hair Relaxer Use
Hair relaxer use can also cause uterine fibroids, which are growths located in the uterus. A 2012 study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that using hair relaxers could increase women’s chances of suffering from uterine fibroids. Although uterine fibroids are not cancerous, they can grow to the size of a watermelon and cause significant pain. Some of the symptoms of uterine fibroids include heavy bleeding during a woman’s period, bloating, lower back pain, and constipation. To prevent uterine fibroids from reoccurring, many women must go under the knife and get a hysterectomy.
A Hysterectomy Can Treat Uterine Cancer and Uterine Fibroids
One way to treat uterine cancer and uterine fibroids is through a hysterectomy, which is a surgery that removes part or all of the uterus. This surgery can remove the cancerous cells that result in uterine cancer and prevent uterine fibroids from reoccurring. This treatment for uterine cancer and fibroids is considered a last resort because it can have significant consequences for someone’s reproductive ability and general health.
One of the major implications of a hysterectomy is that it prevents a woman from becoming pregnant. A hysterectomy could also require the removal of the cervix, ovaries, and other parts of the female reproductive system, which can lead to a transition into menopause. This marks the end of the menstrual cycle and can result in a woman no longer having their period.
A hysterectomy can also cause other health risks, such as:
- Blood clots
- Urinary tract infection
- Bowel blockage
- Torn internal stitches
- Infections
- Bleeding
Results of Lawsuits That Had to Do With Hysterectomies
In the past, there have been many lawsuits regarding the damages caused by a hysterectomy. They can serve to inform women who had to get a hysterectomy because of hair relaxer uterine cancer or uterine fibroids about possible compensation they could receive.
The following are some of the past lawsuits about hysterectomies:
- Brown v Simmons (New York 2022) $1,330,000: The plaintiff underwent an unnecessary hysterectomy at age 32 when her OB/GYN could have recommended a myomectomy surgery early on to treat her uterine fibroids.
- Hadley v Mercy Clinic (Oklahoma 2021) $7,669,636: The defendant failed to diagnose the plaintiff’s cervical cancer early enough, which led to a two-year delay in treatment that forced the plaintiff to undergo a hysterectomy.
- Montestersky v Uniontown Hosp. (Pennsylvania 2009) $2,300,000: The defendant’s negligent failure to diagnose the 18-year-old plaintiff’s infection forced the plaintiff to require a hysterectomy. The plaintiff’s award did not have a higher value due to her already having two children.
- Burch v United States (Florida 2006) $2,047,301: Negligent hospital staff failed to diagnose and treat the plaintiff’s endometriosis, which resulted in an unnecessary hysterectomy.
- Thomas v Abdul-Malak (Pennsylvania 2006) $1,728,314: The plaintiff required an unnecessary hysterectomy because of the plaintiff’s negligent premature rupture of her membranes at 20 weeks gestation.
The value of a hair relaxer lawsuit could be anywhere from a couple hundred thousand dollars to seven figures, depending on the plaintiff’s age and how many children they already have. A product liability lawyer could help you collect evidence and build your case to prove hair relaxer defendants, such as L’Oreal, Namaste Laboratories, or Strenght of Nature, caused your damages by failing to warn of the dangers of their hair care products.
Damages in a Hair Relaxer Hysterectomy Lawsuit
If you needed a hysterectomy because of uterine cancer or uterine fibroids caused by hair relaxer use, you could file a hair relaxer lawsuit to pursue compensation for damages. Uterine cancer and uterine fibroids from hair relaxer use can have a significant financial impact. Victims have to take serious financial losses to cover the medical cost of a hysterectomy and may miss out on work wages as they recover.
Hysterectomies can also have a psychological impact, as depression and anxiety can set in for a victim because of worries about their health, concern over surgery, and worsened quality of life. Women who require hysterectomies will no longer be able to have children, which can have a significant negative impact on their psyche. A product liability lawyer can help you pursue compensation for the non-economic damages caused by a hair relaxer uterine cancer diagnosis.
The following are some of the hair relaxer damages caused by uterine cancer, uterine fibroids, and hysterectomies:
- Medical expenses
- Medication
- Surgery
- Hospital stays
- Lab tests
- Imaging
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Hormone therapy
- Job-related losses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Missed promotions
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of quality of life
How Can a Product Liability Lawyer Help With Your Hair Relaxer Hysterectomy Lawsuit?
Hiring a product liability lawyer can help pursue compensation for hair relaxer uterine cancer and hysterectomy damages. Some ways they can help with your hair relaxer lawsuit include calculating your damages, determining the liable party, explaining the statute of limitations of this type of lawsuit, collecting evidence to prove your case, negotiating with the at-fault party’s insurer, and representing you in court.
Plaintiffs that have filed hair relaxer lawsuits are currently waiting for a decision from the Judicial Panel on Multi-District Litigation (JPML) about whether all hair relaxer lawsuits will consolidate. This can help hair relaxer plaintiffs because they can all share resources and still receive compensation for their specific damages. A product liability lawyer can keep you up-to-date on hair relaxer lawsuit centralization status and can represent your interests should all cases consolidate.
Contact Dolman Law Group for Help With Your Hair Relaxer Hysterectomy Lawsuit
Dolman Law Group is a personal injury law firm with product liability lawyers experienced in handling product liability lawsuits and can assist you with your hair relaxer hysterectomy lawsuit. A hysterectomy can negatively change a woman’s life, as it can cause them to lose their ability to get pregnant and can result in health conditions such as urinary tract infections. Let our product liability lawyers help you pursue compensation for damages using the firm’s resources, their product liability lawsuit experience, and personalized legal counsel catered to the specifics of your case. Contact Dolman Law Group today for a free consultation.
