As ubiquitous as sunscreen is during the hot summer months and even during warmer springs and autumns, many people who apply layer upon layer of it are unaware that they may be exposing themselves to dangerous chemicals by doing so. According to a recent investigation by Valisure, LLC, an online pharmacy with a mission of testing the chemical composition of various products to ensure consumer safety, about 27 percent of tested sunscreen sprays and lotions contained benzene, a carcinogen correlated with various forms of cancer.
If you were diagnosed with leukemia or another form of cancer and you believe exposure to benzene through sunscreen contributed to causing your condition, you may have grounds for litigation that a seasoned dangerous products attorney could help you utilize. By working with a dedicated benzene sunscreen lawyer, you could effectively protect your rights and seek fair restitution for the harm you suffered due to negligence by a sunscreen manufacturer.
On its own, benzene is either light-yellow in color or colorless, and it is often used in chemical and industrial settings to facilitate gas and oil refinement, coal chemical manufacturing, petrochemical production, and production of rubber tires. Certain household products like varnish removers and paint contain benzene—and unfortunately, so do some sunscreens produced by brands like Neutrogena, Coppertone, Banana Boat, Aveeno, CVS Health, and Walgreens, among others.
Scientists have known about benzene’s dangerous qualities for decades, and numerous studies have confirmed that exposure to benzene through either skin contact or inhalation is linked to several forms of leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and aplastic anemia. It is hazardous to the health of both adults and children, and it is correlated with increasing the risks of certain birth defects in pregnant women.
Unfortunately, this has not stopped several companies from producing sunscreens that contain this chemical but do not include it on ingredient lists for those products, potentially exposing millions of consumers to serious harm. A benzene exposure attorney could help an individual consumer examine their legal options against one or more of these manufacturers based on their unique circumstances.
Valisure, LLC has called on the FDA to issue a recall for sunscreens and other similar products containing benzene. In the meantime, individuals who have developed cancer or other health problems because of benzene exposure through sunscreen may have grounds to hold the manufacturers of these products accountable for their unreasonably dangerous goods.
Lawsuits are already in motion against Neutrogena, Johnson & Johnson, and other manufacturers of sunscreens containing benzene. Through a similar lawsuit or mass tort claim, a dedicated lawyer could potentially help someone harmed by benzene sunscreen recover financially for:
There is no disagreement within the medical community about how dangerous benzene exposure can be or the links it has to the development of numerous concerns. Unfortunately, several companies that produce sunscreen have nevertheless failed to keep this product out of their production process, nor have they notified consumers of this chemical’s presence in their products.
A benzene sunscreen lawyer could explain and help enforce your legal options if you suffered harm due to benzene exposure through sunscreen or similar products. Call today for a consultation.
