Rising Cancer Rates—Are Corporations To Blame?
Anyone who has watched a loved one face cancer—or who has grappled with the disease on their own—understands its devastating impacts. Beyond cancer’s obvious physical toll, patients and their family members often face emotional and psychological struggles following a diagnosis. Cancer’s financial impact—including soaring medical bills and lost wages—is debilitating. And with cancer rates on the rise, more people than ever are suffering.
For many patients, cancer’s cause is unknown. However, there are others who believe their disease is linked to exposure to harmful chemicals created and used by major corporations—a claim that scientific research is increasingly backing. In recent years, exposure to dangerous substances in tap water, hair products, talcum powder, and other everyday products has been linked to cancer, catalyzing a wave of lawsuits as victims fight for accountability.
If you believe your or your loved one’s cancer diagnosis is linked to toxic chemical exposure, legal help is available. While every case and circumstance is different you may be able to bring or join one of the lawsuits below to seek compensation.
6 Cancer Lawsuits Open In 2025
Open cancer lawsuits claim that Johnson & Johnson, Bayer, Chevron, and other big-name companies manufactured chemicals that caused people to develop cancer. If you believe you qualify for one of the below lawsuits, an experienced attorney can help you better understand your legal rights.
PFAS Lawsuits
Lawsuits have been filed against companies like 3M regarding cancer-causing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are commonly found in non-stick cookware and firefighting foam. They are linked to health problems including cancer of the testes, kidneys, breast, ovaries, liver, and more. PFAS are now found contaminating the water supply in hundreds of communities across the United States.
The PFAS lawsuits allege that manufacturers knew of the risks and failed to warn the public. Litigation is still in the early stages, and settlement amounts have yet to be determined.
How to join the lawsuit: You may be eligible if you ingested PFAS-contaminated tap water after 1990 and went on to be diagnosed with testicular, kidney, ulcerative, liver, or other forms of cancer. Check if your water supply is contaminated by PFAS, and then learn more about the lawsuit.
Ethylene Oxide Lawsuits
Ethylene oxide (EtO) is a gas commonly used to sterilize medical equipment and produce chemicals like pesticides and antifreeze. Its usefulness comes with a price—it also causes DNA damage that can lead to lymphoma and leukemia. Breast, stomach, and other cancers have also been linked to EtO exposure.
Manufacturers knew of EtO’s cancer-causing properties for decades but continued to sell and use the chemical. People have been exposed while working in sterilization facilities, via consumer products manufactured on equipment sterilized with EtO, and by industrial emissions that contaminated communities’ air and water.
Lawsuits were filed against companies like Sterigenics after people tragically developed cancer. The litigation is in the early stages, so there is limited information about settlement amounts and judgments against the defendants. Some cases are expected to go to trial, forcing corporations to take accountability.
How to join the lawsuit: You may be eligible to join the EtO lawsuit if you were diagnosed with lymphoma, leukemia, breast cancer, stomach cancer, or another cancer after living or working near an EtO plant. Check here and here to view nearby EtO plants. Then take the first steps here to learn and see if any attorney may be able to assist you.
Asbestos Lawsuits
Formerly believed to be safe, asbestos was frequently used in construction and insulation products in homes, schools, and workplaces. However, the natural fibers have been linked to serious health problems, including lung cancer, mesothelioma, testicular cancer, and abdominal cancer. These effects can take decades to show up, so many people don’t make the link to asbestos exposure.
People who were exposed to asbestos and were diagnosed with cancer or another serious condition are now filing lawsuits against the companies responsible. Billions of dollars have been paid out in asbestos compensation over the years, helping plaintiffs regain stability following lost wages, medical bills, and pain and suffering.
How to join the lawsuit: Eligibility requires a diagnosis related to asbestos exposure, like mesothelioma or lung and other cancers. You must show proof that you developed the condition following asbestos exposure in your workplace, during home renovation, or in your area of residence. Certain occupations that are frequently associated with asbestos exposure may also entitle you to compensation following a diagnosis. The full list of occupations and next steps can be viewed here.
Talcum Powder Lawsuits
Talcum powder was previously a common personal care product, marketed as a safe way to keep adults and babies comfortable and dry. After a lawsuit was filed in 2009 by a woman who alleged Johnson & Johnson talcum powder caused her ovarian cancer, thousands of plaintiffs began filing claims.
Talcum powder can be full of harmful substances, including asbestos and carcinogens—risks that manufacturers allegedly knew of and chose to ignore. Talcum powder is linked to ovarian cancer, primary peritoneal cancer, and mesothelioma.
Though Johnson & Johnson traded talcum for cornstarch in its baby powders, for many consumers, the damage had already been done. In one case, a Missouri judge ruled in plaintiffs’ favor in 2020 and awarded over $2 billion in damages.
How to join the lawsuit: You may be eligible if you used talcum powder and developed ovarian cancer, primary peritoneal cancer, or mesothelioma. Click here for more information.
Hair Relaxer Lawsuits
Hair relaxers are a common personal care product, especially for Black women. Horrifyingly, they contain toxic chemicals that disrupt the endocrine system, increasing the risk of ovarian, uterine, and breast cancers. Using certain hair relaxers more than doubles a woman's chance of developing uterine cancer.
Plaintiffs who were diagnosed with cancer following hair relaxer use are now suing companies like L’Oreal. Lawsuits allege these corporations knew of the risks but continued to market the products as safe.
It’s still early in the litigation process, so there is not much information about settlement or monetary judgments against defendants. However, plaintiffs’ claims are backed by scientific evidence, increasing the likelihood of justice being served.
How to join the lawsuit: You may be able to join this lawsuit if you used certain hair relaxers and developed uterine, endometrial, ovarian, or other cancers. Visit this page for a full list of linked hair relaxers and more information.
Roundup Lawsuits
Roundup is a popular weedkiller used by homeowners and farmers alike. First produced by Monsanto and later purchased by Bayer, the herbicide formerly contained the chemical glyphosate, which is linked to cancers like non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL).
After developing cancer following Roundup use, plaintiffs are suing Monsanto and Bayer for producing and marketing a dangerous product without warning consumers. Lawsuits allege the companies knew of the risks for decades yet did nothing to ensure customers’ safety. A judge recently awarded a Philadelphia man $78 million after ruling Roundup exposure was to blame for his NHL diagnosis.
How to join the lawsuit: If you were exposed to Roundup and diagnosed with cancer after 1990, you may be eligible to join the lawsuit. For a full list of qualifying cancer diagnoses and to learn how to take the next steps, click here.
Justice After Cancer
If you believe your or a loved one’s cancer was caused by exposure to a hazardous chemical or product, you aren’t alone. Thousands of impacted consumers are now standing up to hold big corporations accountable for the damage they’ve caused. And though no amount of compensation can fully repair the physical, emotional, and financial damage caused by the disease, it can help light the way through the aftermath.
For the best chance at obtaining accountability and compensation, it’s recommended to speak with an attorney who can evaluate your claim and advise on the claims and damages that may be available to you. Contact the OCA team to be connected with an experienced lawyer and don't wait seek justice today.
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