Customers alleging hair relaxers caused cancer have weeks to file

DALLAS — As the selection of proceedings focused on firms that manufacture and marketplace chemical hair straighteners continues to develop, a brand new primary attractiveness logo is being pulled into the combination: Revlon.

The corporate filed for chapter remaining June, bringing up provide chain problems, and shoppers got a time limit of Oct. 24, 2022, to file any claims towards the wonder logo.

On Oct. 17, every week ahead of that time limit, the National Cancer Institute launched a find out about that confirmed a possible link between the common use of chemical hair straighteners and uterine cancer instances.

The NCI discovered that ladies who used the goods greater than 4 occasions in line with 12 months probably had greater than double the danger of growing uterine cancer when compared to those that by no means used them.

Following the find out about, dozens of proceedings have been filed right through the rustic towards firms that marketplace and manufacture hair relaxers.

Because of Revlon’s chapter court docket time limit, any claims filed particularly towards the corporate that were not submitted right through that one-week window – by way of the Oct. 24 time limit – have been barred.

This week, the chapter pass judgement on within the case lifted the bar, bearing in mind a brand new time limit of April 11 at 5 p.m. Eastern for shoppers with hair relaxers claims towards Revlon.

After the April time limit, all claims in this subject towards Revlon shall be barred, in accordance to the pass judgement on’s order.

The pass judgement on additionally has granted a March 23, time limit for other folks to file their claims and obtain the facility to vote on no matter chapter plan is passed down to Revlon from the court docket.

Larry Taylor Jr., a Dallas lawyer and managing spouse with The Cochran Firm, stated he used to be a number of the legal professionals who filed preliminary claims towards Revlon prior to the preliminary Oct. 24 time limit remaining 12 months.

Taylor stated the pass judgement on’s determination to elevate the bar and make allowance additional time for claims towards Revlon to be filed is beneficial, however he worries the lower than one-month length isn’t sufficient time.

“We’re talking about less than 30 days to file a claim or forever be barred from bringing a claim,” Taylor said. “That is a serious concern. You know, the digital divide is a real thing.”

He stated that individuals who might need to file claims do not have the assets and generation to accomplish that.

“We have a number of shoppers that don’t have the web,” Taylor said. “So, they noticed our industrial and known as us, and we had to mail them contracts, they usually mailed it again. These, every so often, are little outdated grandmas. It took them time to get that again to us.”

Aigner Kolom, a major with the Beasley Allen Law Firm, stated her company has many purchasers who used Revlon hair relaxers. She stated her staff is speeding to ensure they have the entire information they want, together with the evidence of declare shape required to be submitted to the chapter court docket.

“We’re just going to try as fast, and as best as we can, to get these claims in as soon as possible,” Kolom stated.

She stated their purpose is to get as many purchasers in for the sooner time limit as conceivable, so shoppers will have the balloting energy within the chapter plan.

However, Kolom and Taylor each stated the method of investigating every consumer’s declare takes time.

“The time is extensive,” Kolom stated. “We’ve got multiple staff members and attorneys who are working on these cases in our offices every day, and they spend the build of their day on these cases.”

With new points in time looming, Taylor stated he has combined emotions.

“I’m concerned,” Taylor said. “I’m concerned about the process as it’s been laid out right now. I’m always hopeful that we can get the job done, but this particular order…the strict time constraints and the short period of time gives me angst.”

Kolom stated there’s the likelihood that the time limit might be prolonged, however till they pay attention that from a pass judgement on, the frenzy to get the claims in is underway.

Meanwhile, Revlon, like different attractiveness manufacturers centered by way of those proceedings, has maintained that the allegations about its merchandise are meritless.

In a remark supplied to WFAA, the corporate stated:

“Revlon is committed to the safety of all its products, which undergo extensive testing before going to market. While we do not believe the science supports a link between chemical hair straighteners or relaxers to uterine cancer, we remain open to evaluating further studies and always adhere to all regulations in every market we do business.”