The latest updates for MDL 3060 regarding toxic hair relaxers
In June 2024, the United States District Court Northern District of Illinois appointed Professor Maura R. Grossman as the Special Master of the hair relaxer cancer lawsuit. Before this, in November 2022, a motion to transfer was filed by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) to transfer hair relaxer lawsuits to a single federal district court, and these hair relaxer lawsuits should be consolidated into an MDL. The presiding judge is the Hon. Mary Rowland.
MDL 3060 has 12 case management orders with the following summaries
- Case Management Order No.1 entails the JPML's directive to transfer hair relaxer cancer lawsuits from other districts to the United States District Court Northern District of Illinois under MDL 3060.
- Case Management Order No.2 authorizes directly filing hair relaxer lawsuits into MDL 3060.
- Case Management Order No.3 implements a qualified protective order that prohibits the parties from using or disclosing the protected health information for any purpose except for the litigation or proceeding for which it is requested.
- Case Management Order No.4 specifies the protocols for producing hair relaxer documents and electronically stored information. It requires plaintiffs or those injured by the hair relaxer product to preserve relevant social media and other discoverable evidence.
- Case Management Order No.5 protects the confidentiality of the internal hair relaxer documents.
- Case Management Order No.6 establishes an initial scheduling order for the hair relaxer cancer lawsuits in MDL 3060.
- Case Management Order No.7 streamlines the filing process of hair relaxer lawsuits through the master Short Form Complaint (SFC).
- Case Management Order No.8 addresses the service of and responses to hair relaxer cancer lawsuits filed using the Short Form Complaint.
- Case Management Order No.9 outlines the procedure for plaintiffs filling out Short Form Complaints.
- Case Management Order No.10 permits dismissing hair relaxer cancer lawsuits without prejudice if the dismissal is filed more than 21 days before the Plaintiff’s Fact Sheet (PFS) is due. If a plaintiff wants to refile their hair relaxer cancer lawsuit after dismissal without prejudice, it must be filed in federal court in MDL 3060.
- Case Management Order No.11 requires plaintiffs to submit their Short Form Complaints by uploading them to a 3rd party database.
- Case Management Order No.12 entails the Court's appointment of Professor Maura R. Grossman as Special Master for the hair relaxer cancer litigation.
Let ELG assist you with filing a hair relaxer claim
First, check if you're eligible to file a claim for the health issues related to toxic hair relaxers. If you’ve been diagnosed with a condition associated with using hair relaxers and have been using them for at least 2 to 6 years, at least four times a year, we highly recommend you contact our attorneys. They have the expertise to help.
If you fit these criteria, you are entitled to compensation from the company responsible for the harmful hair relaxers you've used. Even if you're unsure you qualify, please do not hesitate to contact us – every case is different, and you might still be eligible. This applies especially to long-term users, hair stylists, and beauticians exposed to these toxic products.