Most people have heard about lawsuits focused on products that have caused serious cancer concerns: Talcum powder and ovarian cancer, even Pepsi, but what about ingredients that are widely used in many of our everyday food items?
A new report just released has expanded upon the previous announcement concerning the link between cancer, processed meats, and alcohol, and has now detailed that palm oil—a key ingredient in many of our favorite products—contains a potentially carcinogenic contaminant. Will this lead to the same implications in terms of people being able to seek justice if they develop cancer due to these products?
Companies in Denial in Spite of Evidence and Court Decisions
Unfortunately, it is apparent that quite a few people must suffer and litigate before the proper attention is paid as to whether products currently on the shelves are safe for us to use. Last year, one woman was granted $55 million in damages—and another $72 million—after demonstrating that one company’s talcum powder-based products led her to develop ovarian cancer. With 20,000 women being diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year, the lawsuit has shifted focus to the safety (or lack thereof) of talc-based products. Yet, in spite of these verdicts, the company involved has consistently maintained that its products are safe, continuing to sell them, even though they contain asbestos, which has also been linked to numerous other cancers, including mesothelioma.
Promising Settlement
Recently, test results were released demonstrating that Pepsi intentionally hid the presence of high levels of 4-Methylimidazole (“4-Mel”)—a known carcinogen—in its soda over the last four years. Yet, regardless of this published evidence, the company refuses to take the product off the market, and is even fighting against some state requirements which mandate that they place a warning label on the products. Several class action lawsuits have been brought against the company, with one related settlement potentially expanding the reach of the state’s measures to the rest of the country; measures which require Pepsi to ensure that 4-Mel levels do not exceed 100 parts per billion in its products and utilize very specific protocols in testing the soda prior to it being sold.
So what does this mean about the most recent findings concerning processed meats, alcohol, and now palm oil? Clearly these products remain on the shelves in spite of overwhelming evidence that they cause cancer. Whether or not they will rise to the level of litigation that talcum powder-based products and Pepsi soda have will likely depend upon who suffers, how, to what extent it is both studied and documented, and whether people are willing to demand justice.
Personal Injury Attorneys
Personal injuries are not limited to auto accidents, but also to negligently-produced products as well. The personal injury attorneys at Harrell & Nowak have helped many victims throughout Louisiana obtain financial compensation for their injuries, regardless of the cause. If you have developed cancer as the result of using a product, our lawyers will work to ensure that your rights are protected and that you receive a fair recovery. Contact us today for a free consultation.