Many people use sunscreen every day to block out ultraviolet radiation and prevent skin cancer. Sadly, however, pharmaceutical testing company Valisure found that 78 batches (or lots) of common sunscreen and after-sun products were contaminated with benzene, a cancer-causing agent. If you have been diagnosed with cancer after using a sunscreen contaminated with benzene, you may be eligible to file a sunscreen recall lawsuit.
How We Can Help
At Peterson & Associates, P.C., we know legal action may seem impossible to navigate when you are dealing with a cancer diagnosis. Our Kansas City attorneys want to make it easy on you; we will guide you through the legal process and take care of any barriers that arise. It is our goal to ensure those injured have the chance to exercise their legal rights without taking their mind off their well-being. That’s why if we don’t win your case, you won’t be billed a dime.
Contact a sunscreen cancer attorney online for a free case review. We accept cases nationwide.
What Is Benzene?
Benzene is a carcinogen often found in crude oil, gasoline, and cigarette smoke, as well as in volcanoes and forest fires. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is among the most widely used chemicals in the United States. Many industries use benzene to make certain types of rubbers, dyes, detergents, pesticides, drugs, and lubricants.
Can Benzene Give You Cancer?
Unfortunately, yes. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) all classify benzene as a human carcinogen.
Research on the link between benzene and cancer has mostly focused on leukemia and other blood cancers. Since sunscreen is applied directly onto the skin, where it is then absorbed into the bloodstream, sunscreen contaminated with benzene is a serious public safety concern.
Is There a Safe Level of Benzene?
According to the FDA, there is no safe amount of benzene. It does make an exception for its use, however: If absolutely necessary, benzene may be used at levels lower than 2 parts per million (ppm).
Benzene is not necessary for the production of sunscreen. What’s worse, 14 of the batches of sun products tested had benzene levels of 2 ppm or more. Some had benzene levels as high as 6 ppm, or three times the FDA’s acceptable limit.
Dr. Christopher Bunick, associate professor of dermatology at Yale University, highlighted the dangers of benzene in a Valisure press release. He stated that sunscreen with benzene levels as low as 0.1 ppm could “expose people to excessively high nanogram amounts” of the carcinogen.
Which Sunscreens Contain Benzene?
The Valisure study prompted the FDA to implement a voluntary recall of specific Neutrogena and Aveeno sunscreens. Johnson & Johnson complied, pulling the following products off the market:
- Neutrogena Beach Defense aerosol sunscreen
- Neutrogena Cool Dry Sport aerosol sunscreen
- Neutrogena Invisible Daily defense aerosol sunscreen
- Neutrogena Ultra Sheer aerosol sunscreen
- Aveeno Protect + Refresh aerosol sunscreen
However, Johnson & Johnson is not the only manufacturer to find itself in hot water. Valisure tested a total of 294 sun care product lots from 69 brands, many of which showed dangerously high levels of benzene. These brands include:
- Sun Bum
- CVS Health
- Fruit of the Earth
- Raw Elements
- SunBurnt
- Goodsense
- Banana Boat
- TopCare Everyday
- EltaMD
- Babyganics
- Walgreens
- Coppertone
- Max Block
- Solimo
- Equate
- La Roche-Posay
- Up & Up
Who Can File a Sunscreen Recall Lawsuit?
To file a sunscreen recall lawsuit, you must have used a sunscreen or after-sun product with some level of benzene.
Not every product by the brands under fire contains benzene. Valisure found that only certain lots of these products were contaminated. Thus, it is more of a “batch-to-batch problem” than a problem with a specific product or brand.
Find Out if You Qualify for a Sunscreen Cancer Lawsuit
Peterson & Associates, P.C.’s trial lawyers are proud to advocate for clients in their sunscreen recall lawsuits in Kansas City and across the nation. If you have been exposed to benzene and diagnosed with cancer due to a contaminated sun care product, our lawyers will fight tooth and nail for your rights. You may be compensated for your pain and suffering, medical bills, and any other damages you suffered.
With more than 35 years of experience and over $500 million recovered for our clients, you can rest assured that we have what it takes to advocate for you. We have garnered national acclaim for our personalized, client-focused representation. Here, we treat our clients like family.