Lawsuits Targeting Manufacturers and Sellers of Hair Relaxer Products Consolidated in Chicago Federal Court

Over 50 product liability lawsuits aimed at manufacturers, sellers, and distributors of chemical hair relaxer products have been consolidated before a federal court judge in Chicago. The cases allege that the products, primarily marketed and sold to black women, are linked to an increased risk of developing cancer and other reproductive health complications – allegations the defendants vigorously dispute. The United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) consolidated the scores of chemical hair relaxer cases originally filed across the country into a multidistrict litigation (MDL) on February 6, 2023, and transferred the cases to U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Judge Mary M. Rowland