A small group of hair relaxer lawsuits will be selected for discovery and prepared for a series of early bellwether trials to help gauge how juries may respond to certain evidence and testimony
Manufacturers challenge allegations raised in hundreds of hair relaxer lawsuits brought by women diagnosed with uterine cancer, ovarian cancer and other injuries, as the Court rejected an attempt to bifurcate discovery
Plaintiffs oppose the plan, which will cause unnecessary delays and many women will die from cancer caused by hair relaxer while waiting for the general causation discovery to be complete
The U.S. District Judge presiding over all federal hair relaxer lawsuits has also issued protocols governing the discovery process, in a likely lead-up to bellwether test trial cases.
More than 100 lawsuits over hair relaxers have already been filed, and it is expected that thousands of additional claims will be brought in the coming months and years.
The committee will allow younger, less experienced attorneys to be coached on how to manage a multidistrict litigation (MDL), so they can serve as leaders in future mass tort lawsuits.
Parties have until March 31 to submit a proposed order that would allow plaintiffs to file new hair relaxer lawsuits directly in the MDL.
Among a group of 35 injury lawyers appointed to take actions on behalf of all women pursuing hair relaxer injury lawsuits is Ben Crump, known for representing victims of civil rights violations.
Parties are expected to discuss the structure of plaintiffs' attorney leadership positions in the hair relaxer MDL in the initial status conference
MDL will include all lawsuits alleging chemicals in hair relaxer and perms caused uterine cancer, ovarian cancer and other injuries
