CHICAGO (STNG) - A man is accusing a multi-national cosmetic company of selling a potentially lethal coloring product that he says took the life of his mother.
Aaron Morris claims in a lawsuit Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court against The L'Oréal Group that toxic chemicals in the hair-coloring product SoftSheen Dark & Lovely caused his mother to suffer from shortness of breath and ultimately killed her in July of 2006.
The L'Oréal Group, which owns the SoftSheen Carson line of products, is accused in the suit of failing to put a warning label on the hair colorings' alleged potential to become lethal.
On July 10, 2006, Cornelia Morris applied the SoftSheen Dark & Lovely in “Natural Black,” and while waiting for the hair-dye to kick-in she began having difficulty breathing. Her son called an ambulance and she died after arriving at Jackson Park Hospital.
An autopsy by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s determined Cornelia Morris died from an allergic reaction to the hair dye.
According to the suit, the product recommends users wait a period of time to determine whether they have an allergic reaction to the product. Cornelia Morris did not have an allergic reaction to the product in the recommended time when a user would have an allergic reaction, the suit claims.
Cornelia Morris left behind nine children.
The four-count product liability suit seeks an unspecified amount in damages.
"We adhere to the most rigorous standards for product safety, so that our consumers can purchase and use our products with complete confidence," Jennifer S. James, a spokeswoman for L'Oreal USA told the Sun-Times. She added she had not yet seen the lawsuit and had no further comment.
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