The How To Join Old Spice lawsuit has become a cause counder in recent years. The lawsuit began with an Old Spice lawsuit launched in a U.S. district court in Ohio by former plaintiff Rodney Colley of Virginia. Mr. Colley, now deceased, sought damages for pain and suffering caused by an acute allergic reaction to Old Spice. The lawsuit named several manufacturers as defendants including defendants J.P. Keem, Cifarelli, Ligie and Diadema.
The lawsuit named as respondents were not named individually, however. Among other things, the complaint accused these companies of “consciously and negligently” failing to warn consumers about the hazards of using Old Spice as deodorants. The complainants further alleged that the companies failed to take action to warn about the product’s dangers, despite knowing that continued use might result in severe skin rashes. In addition, the Old Spice complaint charged that the companies failed to provide customers with adequate information about how much of the product was needed to produce a safe deodorant. Finally, the complaint contends that the companies failed to instruct consumers about how to properly wash and clean their bodies after applying Old Spice. All of these allegations were supported by documents that plaintiffs’ attorneys provided to demonstrate that the company knew or should have known, that its products were dangerous.
In response, the defendant manufacturers and distributors, namely Ligie, Cifarelli, Keem, Diadema, and Old Spice settled the claims against them in federal court. Among other things, the defendant manufacturers agreed to pay for medical care for any consumers who suffered from “burning, stinging, or redness” as a result of using Old Spice and to shell out financial settlements to various complainants. In addition, the defendants agreed to conduct quality inspections on all of their products and to ensure compliance with applicable State and Federal safety and health regulations. The parties also stipulated to correct any misinformation that may have been circulating regarding Old Spice and its ingredients and to offer consumer education programs on the dangers of Old Spice and other such products.
However, many observers still wonder how this type of lawsuit can be brought about. Certainly there are many legitimate reasons why individuals may be upset or even angry with a business or corporation. However, there is a very broad exception to the rule that now applies to litigating online complaints regarding health and safety issues. For example, if a manufacturer’s instructions for use were found to be completely inadequate or even incorrect, or if a customer develops an obvious allergy to one or more of Old Spice’s ingredients, then that individual has a case. Whether or not the statements regarding safety and health were intended to apply to general use or to a specific situation is irrelevant – the law clearly says that litigants must prove both a lack of knowledge and a substantial risk in order to succeed in a lawsuit of this sort.
In addition, a question that may be raised as to how to join the Old Spice lawsuit has to do with the class action lawsuit itself. The complaint names not only the manufacturer of Old Spice but also various other companies that manufacture skin care products containing Old Spice and other “designer” brands of skin products. It is likely that a large number of these companies will wish to settle out of court rather than go to trial. The threat of such a lawsuit could prevent competitors from entering into a negotiated settlement and it could prevent the companies from offering discounts or rebates to current customers. Thus, such actions could quickly send an Old Spice-themed competitor into bankruptcy while also seriously harming the financial health of many smaller, niche skin care companies that have adopted their product without necessarily intending to do so.
Of course, there is also the matter of injurious prosecution. If a manufacturer of Old Spice or any other “emarked” name is found guilty of defaming a customer’s dignity through their Old Spice product, they could face up to a decade in prison. This would certainly seem to take precedence over settling out of court, especially if the victim has little money. Therefore, if you want to learn how to join an Old Spice lawsuit, you should certainly do your research before contacting a lawyer first.
