Mass Torts

September 14, 2023

Africa’s Best Hair Relaxer Lawsuit

A new medical study has found that the chemicals in hair relaxers or straighteners can cause uterine cancer and other hormone-related conditions in women. Africa’s Best no-lye relaxer is one the more popular brands of hair relaxer, and it is manufactured by House of Cheatham, Inc. Hair relaxer lawsuits are being brought in all 50 states against House of Cheatham and other companies who sell chemical relaxer products. The lawsuits allege that relaxers such as Africa’s Best caused the plaintiffs to develop uterine cancer or other injuries.

This post will discuss the new medical evidence linking relaxers to uterine cancer and the lawsuits against House of Cheatham regarding Africa’s Best line of relaxer products.

Hair Relaxer Litigation September 2023 Update

September 10, 2023

Discovery of Benzene in Spray Deodorants May Lead to Recall and Lawsuits

by Ronald V. Miller, Jr.

Product safety testing discovered dangerous levels of benzene in several major brands of spray-on deodorant (and body spray).

Benzene is a notorious human carcinogen that has been shown to cause leukemia. Unsafe levels of the carcinogen were found in some of the most popular deodorant brands including Old Spice, Secret, Suave, and Tag. The FDA has established a benzene limit of 2 ppm in cosmetics. Yet, independent lab tests revealed that some recalled deodorants and antiperspirants had benzene concentrations as high as 9 ppm.

The discovery of benzene in spray-on deodorants could have major ramifications similar to those seen after benzene was found in sunscreen earlier this year. We could see sweeping product recalls before the end of 2021, followed by hundreds of product liability lawsuits against the deodorant manufacturers.

September 10, 2023

Military Housing Lawsuit

by Ronald V. Miller, Jr.

There are approximately 1.3 million active-duty service members in the United States. Among these, approximately 22% reside in privatized on-base housing.

We owe it to our service men and women to provide them with quality housing. Yet so many do not. Soldiers report a range of issues, including lead-based pain, structural defects, rodent and insect infestations, faulty installation, water leaks and excessive moisture, and persistent mold problems.

Furthermore, these homes far too often suffer from unacceptable deviations from applicable building and housing codes, including structurally deficient flooring and walls, faulty insulation, extensive mold and other toxins, hazardous asbestos and lead-based paint, deficient electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems, and numerous other inadequacies.

September 3, 2023

Allergan Breast Implant Lawsuits

by Ronald V. Miller, Jr.

Federal lawsuits against Allergan’s Natrelle Biocell Textured Breast Implants emerged months after its manufacturer, Allergan, recalled it. The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation consolidated all federal into an MDL class action in New Jersey (most recent court order). The MDL lawsuits allege that the implants cause breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), a rare form of cancer.

UPDATES:

September 3, 2024: As of today, there are now a total of 1,235 plaintiffs with pending cases in the Allergan breast implant class action MDL.

September 1, 2023

What to Expect in the Paraquat Litigation in 2023

by Ronald V. Miller, Jr.

Paraquat is a heavy-duty herbicide widely used in commercial farming in the U.S. for decades. Recent scientific research has shown that chronic exposure to Paraquat can significantly increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.

The emergence of this evidence has led to thousands of former farmers filing Paraquat lawsuits alleging that their occupational exposure to the herbicide caused them to develop Parkinson’s disease.

The Paraquat product liability lawsuits have been consolidated into a class action MDL that has been ongoing for the last two years. In this post, we will look back at how the Paraquat litigation unfolded, the current status of this ongoing mass tort, and what to expect from the Paraquat litigation in 2023.

August 28, 2023

When Will I Get a 3M Earplug Settlement Check?

by Ronald V. Miller, Jr.

There are reports of 3M earplug settlement. Now more than ever, veterans are asking “When is my 3M earplug case going to settle?” They are also asked how do I opt out of a settlement because I’m not taking this offer.

In this post, we will try to explain exactly what 3M is doing, how it could potentially play out, and what impact it will have on the settlement of the thousands of pending earplug lawsuits.

As we have moved to reconfigure after the $6 billion settlement offer, this page focuses on opting out and the harsh requirements plaintiffs will have. You can find more on the 3M earplug settlement here. I really suggest you read as many comments to his post as you have time to read.

July 13, 2023

Alabama Class Action Lawsuits

by Ronald V. Miller, Jr.

Our national mass tort lawyers are pursuing cases in a number of class action lawsuits. Thousands of Alabama residents could potentially be eligible to become plaintiffs in many of these mass tort cases. In this post, we will summarize the most significant class action lawsuits that Alabama residents should be aware of. We will also explain who is eligible to become plaintiffs in the various class action lawsuits, what their potential chances of success are, and what their potential settlement value could be if successful.

June 1, 2023

The Pivotal First AFFF Bellwether Trial

by Ronald V. Miller, Jr.

Next week, the pivotal first bellwether test trial is set to begin in the massive class action MDL over the personal and environmental harm caused by PFAS “forever chemicals” in AFFF firefighting foam. The firefighting foam MDL now has over 4,000 plaintiffs with pending cases. Now, after years of consolidated discovery and buildup, the test case is finally ready to be presented to a jury in a federal courtroom in South Carolina.

The case selected for this initial bellwether trial is the City of Stuart v. 3M Co. et al. (2:18-cv-03487). The outcome of the trial in the City of Stuart case will have a massive impact on the future course of the litigation. It will be the first time a jury will decide the scientific evidentiary battle that has been waged between the plaintiffs and defendants such as DuPont and 3M.

If the jury resolves this debate in favor of the plaintiff and awards a significant verdict, it could prompt a multi-billion-dollar settlement involving dozens of major companies. It could also set the stage for future cases involving similar tort claims by local municipalities based on environmental contamination.

March 22, 2023

Hair Relaxer and Endometrial Cancer Lawsuits

by Ronald V. Miller, Jr.

Chemical hair relaxers and hair perms are products routinely used by a majority of African American women in the U.S. Scientific research has recently established that the chemicals in hair relaxers can cause endometrial cancer, and other serious health conditions.

Lawsuits are now being filed by women who may have developed endometriosis from prolonged use of hair perms or hair relaxers. There is a class action lawsuit ongoing in New York that has consolidated all endometriosis hair relaxers lawsuits together.

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March 8, 2023

Phthlates in Hair Relaxers

by Ronald V. Miller, Jr.

Phthalates are a group of chemical compounds that were developed in the early 20th century and have been used in a variety of industrial and consumer applications.

Most people have never heard of phthalates. But women who have suffered injuries from hair relaxers are now learning about this chemical that they never knew they had been exposed to until now.

History of Phthalates