News Summary
The Georgia Supreme Court has permitted Kiara Burroughs to continue her lawsuit against Strength of Nature and L’Oréal, linking hair relaxers to health risks. Burroughs alleges her long-term use of these products led to uterine fibroids. The court’s decision clarifies the statute of repose applies to individual product sales, allowing her claim to advance. While L’Oréal maintains product safety, this ruling may impact future product liability cases and heightens concerns over consumer safety in the beauty industry.
Atlanta, Georgia – The Georgia Supreme Court has determined that Kiara Burroughs can proceed with her lawsuit against Strength of Nature and L’Oréal, as her allegations relate to health claims regarding chemical hair relaxers. Burroughs asserts that after using these products, beginning in 1995, she developed uterine fibroids, a condition linked to potential health risks.
Burroughs was diagnosed with uterine fibroids in 2018. The lawsuit she filed in October 2022 was initially prompted by her review of a study suggesting a possible connection between hair straightening products and uterine cancer. This led her to hold the hair care manufacturers accountable for the health issues she attributes to their products.
The manufacturers argued that Burroughs should not be allowed to proceed with her claim due to Georgia’s 10-year statute of repose, which restricts legal actions to ten years following the first sale or use of a product. A lower appellate court had supported this argument, concluding that Burroughs’ initial purchase of the products barred her from moving forward with her lawsuit.
However, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled in favor of Burroughs, clarifying that the statute of repose applies on a per-unit basis, not as a blanket rule covering all products purchased. This means that if Burroughs purchased any of the products within the last ten years preceding her lawsuit, her claim could be valid.
Justice Andrew Pinson highlighted the court’s view that “a cause of action still may exist for units sold to an intended end user less than ten years before the action was brought.” The justices explained that the “first sale” should reference individual sales rather than creating a singular timeline for all products purchased collectively.
Throughout her years of use, Burroughs continued to purchase and apply the hair relaxers until 2014. Her lawsuit accuses the manufacturers of misrepresenting the safety of their products, potentially misleading consumers about health risks associated with their usage.
While the Supreme Court’s ruling allows Burroughs to advance her case, it also clarifies that she must prove that the products used within the last ten years directly caused her injuries. Burroughs’ legal team has expressed that this decision could have significant implications for future product liability cases in Georgia.
While L’Oréal expressed disappointment in the Court’s ruling, the company maintained that its products are safe and adhere to all regulatory standards. The discovery phase of the case is now anticipated, wherein Burroughs’ attorneys will seek to uncover whether the manufacturers were aware of any safety issues regarding their products.
This ruling by the Georgia Supreme Court represents a key moment for product liability law in the state. As the case unfolds, it could influence how other lawsuits against manufacturers are handled in similar circumstances, particularly those involving long-term products with potential health risks.
In summary, the Georgia Supreme Court’s decision not only enables Burroughs to continue her legal battle against two prominent hair product manufacturers but also raises important questions about consumer safety and corporate accountability in the beauty industry.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
- Georgia Recorder
- Fox 5 Atlanta
- Atlanta News First
- WTVM
- CBS News
- Wikipedia: Hair Relaxer
- Google Search: Hair Relaxer Health Risk
- Google Scholar: Hair Relaxer Uterine Fibroids
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Cosmetics
- Google News: Hair Relaxer Lawsuit
Author: STAFF HERE SAVANNAH WRITER
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