What to Expect from a Hair Relaxer Lawsuit

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer or another serious health condition linked to a dangerous chemical hair relaxer, you may have grounds to file a lawsuit against the manufacturer. Numerous women and families are asserting their legal rights already. Not only does filing a lawsuit help ensure that the manufacturer will be held accountable, but it also provides the opportunity to recover financial compensation for your medical bills, loss of earnings, pain and suffering, and other losses.

The Five Major Steps in a Hair Relaxer Lawsuit

If you have grounds to file a chemical hair straightener lawsuit, it will be important for you to know what to expect if you decide to move forward. With this in mind, here is a brief overview of the process:

Step #1: Your Free Initial Consultation

The first step toward filing a hair relaxer lawsuit is to schedule a free initial consultation. This is your opportunity to sit down with a lawyer and find out if you have a claim.

Your initial consultation is completely risk-free and without obligation. The purpose of the consultation is to find out if it makes sense for you to continue moving forward with pursuing a claim. If it doesn’t, then you can move on knowing that you made an informed decision. But, if it makes sense to pursue a claim—and it does for many people—then scheduling a free initial consultation promptly will help ensure that you do not run out of time to assert your legal rights.

Step #2: Investigating Your Hair Relaxer Lawsuit

If it appears that you may have grounds to pursue a hair relaxer lawsuit, then the next step is to investigate your claim. This is a step that your lawyer will take on your behalf. Your lawyer will work with you to determine what evidence you have available while also working to gather evidence from other sources. At Searcy Denney, for example, we are actively working with experts who understand the serious health risks associated with chemical hair relaxers and who can provide detailed expert reports and testimony explaining why our clients are entitled to just compensation.

If you think you may have a hair relaxer lawsuit, you can assist with your lawyer’s investigation by collecting any evidence you have in your possession. This could include a hair relaxer bottle, a receipt from an in-store purchase or treatment at a hair salon, or an email confirming a purchase you made online. It can be helpful to take notes as well, including notes detailing facts such as:

• How long you (or your loved one) used chemical hair relaxers
• Which brand(s) of chemical hair relaxers you (or your loved one) used
• Where you (or your loved one) purchased chemical hair relaxers or treatments
• When you started having health concerns or noticing symptoms
• When you (or your loved one) received a diagnosis

While many women and families have grounds to file hair relaxer lawsuits, your legal rights—including the damages you are entitled to recover—are unique to you. As a result, the more details you can write down, the better. The more information you share with your lawyer, the easier it will be for your lawyer to accurately determine whether it makes sense for you to file a lawsuit.

Step #3: Filing Your Hair Relaxer Lawsuit

If it makes sense for you to file a hair relaxer lawsuit, the next step is to file. This is also a step that your lawyer will take on your behalf. Your lawyer will draft your complaint and assemble all of the necessary forms and filings, and then your lawyer will file your lawsuit in the appropriate court. This formally starts the litigation process, and it triggers a deadline for the hair relaxer manufacturer to respond.

Step #4: Calculating Your Financial and Non-Financial Losses

Another key step in the process of pursuing a hair relaxer lawsuit is calculating your financial and non-financial losses. You will need to work closely with your lawyer during this step in the process. To seek just compensation on your behalf, your lawyer will need to have a clear understanding of your current and future:

• Medical expenses and other out-of-pocket costs (including funeral expenses in cases of wrongful death)
• Loss of earnings (or earning potential)
• Pain, suffering and emotional distress
• Loss of companionship, consortium, society and support
• Loss of enjoyment of life

These last three categories of non-financial losses are extremely broad—covering everything from physical pain to the psychological trauma and stress of dealing with cancer treatments and living with cancer (or another serious health condition) on a daily basis. For women who need mastectomies, hysterectomies and other surgical procedures, financial compensation is also available for the effects of permanent scarring and disfigurement, as well as loss of the ability to bear children. In wrongful death cases, eligible family members can seek just compensation for the non-financial losses they suffer as well.

Step #5: Seeking the Financial Compensation You and Your Family Deserve

The final step in the process is to seek the financial compensation you and your family deserve. Here, too, you will be relying heavily on your attorney to advise you and take appropriate legal action on your behalf.

In many cases, recovering just compensation for the financial and non-financial harm caused by a dangerous hair relaxer will involve negotiating an out-of-court settlement. But, in some cases, going to court will be necessary. Your lawyer will negotiate with the manufacturer’s insurance company and defense lawyers on your behalf; and, if necessary, your lawyer will take on the manufacturer’s defense team in court.

Do You Have a Hair Relaxer Lawsuit? Find Out for Free

Do you have a hair relaxer lawsuit? If you think you may be entitled to financial compensation (or if you don’t know and would like to find out), we invite you to get in touch. To get started with a free initial consultation, please call 800-780-8607 or contact us online today.