The pharmaceutical product safety attorneys from Action Legal Group represent purchasers of sunscreen products tainted with the dangerous chemical benzene. The products were manufactured by Johnson & Johnson subsidiaries Aveeno and Neutrogena.

This legal claim is meant to stop Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiaries from continuing to threaten the health of and cause injury to individuals who purchase the products. In addition to an injunction on behalf of consumers, the lawsuit seeks damages for people who purchased one of several sun protection products. An independent analysis of the products by Valisure, a lab seeking to bring improved transparency and increased product quality to the pharmaceutical industry, found high concentrations of benzene in more than 75 sunscreen and after-sun care products made by popular brand name manufacturers like Neutrogena, Banana Boat, CVS Health and others.

Nearly two weeks after the alarming Valisure benzene lab results were published, Johnson & Johnson finally announced the recall of five of its sun protection products and ordered retail stores to immediately halt the sale of sunscreen products from Neutrogena labeled:

The FDA does permit trace amounts of the chemical benzene in specific medical products that are considered important, but benzene has not been authorized for use in sunscreen products in any amount. To understand the risk posed by benzene, it is critical that consumers understand that the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends that workers wear protective equipment if they expect to experience benzene exposure in concentrations that are greater than 0.1 parts per million for 10 hours or 1 part per million for a period that measures 15 minutes. There were dangerous sun protection products from Neutrogena in the Valisure lab review that contained benzene in the amount of more than 6 ppm.

While the lab found the cancer-causing chemical in aerosol and lotion sunscreen products, in a likely effort to avoid liability, J&J ordered the recall of only products using a spray top mechanism. A full list of dangerous benzene-tainted sunscreen products can be found here.

Excess levels of carcinogenic benzene have been found in multiple brands and batches of sun protection products, after-sun care products and sunscreen. The chemical appears colorless or a light shade of yellow and is used in several industrial and household products. But benzene is dangerous. Exposure to benzene has been linked to incidents of cancer and other illnesses.

The dangerous chemical is known to cause cases of cancer in humans and lab animals. The link between cancer and benzene has largely centered on leukemia and other cancers related to the blood cells.

Numerous types of sunscreen manufactured by Neutrogena were found to contain cancer-causing benzene. The list of Neutrogena products in which Valisure detected benzene include:

The parent company of Neutrogena issued its recall of specific Neutrogena sunscreen spray products in response to the results released in the Valisure test. Johnson & Johnson issued a statement explaining benzene is not an ingredient used in the manufacturing of its sunscreen or after-sun care products and that the sunscreen recall was being done as a matter of caution.

Is there normally benzene in sunscreen or after-sun care products?

No, not all sunscreens contain the dangerous chemical benzene. However, it has been verified by an independent lab that numerous popular sunscreens do contain the cancer-causing chemical. The brands containing benzene include:

Is there a sunscreen containing no benzene?

The sunscreen products tested by Valisure do not list the cancer-causing chemical as an active ingredient. This means that the sunscreens that tested positive for benzene were likely contaminated. But it is important to keep in mind that many batches tested by the independent lab did not contain benzene.

Which sunscreen has no benzene?

The sun protection and after-sun care products tested by the independent lab Valisure do not list the dangerous chemical as an active ingredient. Therefore, the lab concluded, any benzene-positive sunscreens were likely to have somehow been contaminated. You can find a full list of sun protection products in which benzene was not detected here.

What Do I Need to Do If I’ve Been Exposed to Benzene?

For a high-level short-term exposure, the CDC recommends getting away from the source, removing contaminated clothing, washing exposed skin with soap and water, and seeking medical care ASAP.

If you believe you have been exposed to the toxic chemical over an extended period, talk to a doctor. A physician will be able to measure benzene in your blood or breath, and any breakdown of it can be measured in urine. The tests can detect recent exposure and they cannot project potential health effects.

However, if you know you have used a sunscreen that potentially contained benzene and have received a cancer diagnosis, our benzene in sunscreen lawsuit attorney team is prepared to review your claim free of charge. We may even be able to file a lawsuit on your behalf as a new client.

We are prepared to fight for your rights and file a lawsuit for compensation for injuries you may have incurred using a benzene-tainted sunscreen. Please submit your case now or contact our law office by phone at 813-296-6401 for a free case consultation with a personal injury lawyer.