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Two Cottonelle flushable wipes users have filed a class action lawsuit after Kimberly-Clark recalled some of the product due to possible bacterial contamination.
Plaintiffs Melissa Armstrong and Roland Nadeau filed their class action lawsuit in federal court Friday, just a week after Kimberly-Clark announced the flushable wipes recall.
They say they are seeking “recovery for the personal and economic harms caused by the recall of millions of contaminated, dangerous, and now-worthless flushable wipes … .”
Kimberly-Clark issued the flushable wipes recall over concerns that some packages could be contaminated with the bacteria Pluralibacter gergoviae.
The recalled wipes were sold in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean between Feb. 7, 2020, and Sept. 14, 2020.
Kimberly-Clark says it so far has only received a “low rate of non-serious complaints, such as irritation and minor infection” related to the affected flushable wipes.
Products such as the recalled flushable wipes became more popular early in the coronavirus pandemic as consumers stockpiled toilet paper and similar goods, leading to a supply shortage on store shelves.
In fact, the class action lawsuit calls the company one of the coronavirus pandemic’s “clear winners” because it has “enjoyed a dramatic, pandemic-driven boost in demand” for its sanitary products.
According to the plaintiffs, Kimberly-Clark lacked appropriate safeguards to detect or remedy the contamination of its Cottonelle Flushable Wipes and Cottonelle GentlePlus Flushable Wipes, and distributed them via major retailers to the plaintiffs and other putative Class Members.
“Unfathomably, Kimberly-Clark continued its mass, nationwide distribution of contaminated Wipes for another seven months — all the while failing to detect the bacterial contamination, warn the public, or otherwise taking any steps whatsoever to remediate the serious health risks to which it had exposed Plaintiffs, similarly situated consumers, and the public at large,” even though the company had warnings that something was wrong, the class action lawsuit alleges.
The plaintiffs say throughout the time the flushable wipes were being distributed and sold, consumers documented “irregularities” in the products, including dark brown spots on some wipes and “mildew-like odors.”
Consumers allegedly also reported experiencing “rashes, infections, and other serious health complications.”
The plaintiffs say these irregularities should have raised concerns and prompted an investigation by the company. However, it was allegedly only after an “overwhelming” number of consumer complaints about skin irritation, infections and other complications that Kimberly-Clark began product testing and investigation.
“The Recall has affected thousands of consumers who purchased the Wipes at retail locations, causing damages that include loss of value, anxiety, fright, unjust enrichment, fraud, violation of consumer protection and deceptive practices statutes…,” the class action lawsuit states.
The plaintiffs seek to certify two Classes: a nationwide Class of anyone who purchased the recalled flushable wipes between Feb. 7, 2020, and Sept. 14, 2020; and a California subclass for anyone who purchased the recalled wipes in California during the same period.
The plaintiffs are asking the Court to find Kimberly-Clark’s alleged conduct unlawful and stop the company from further unlawful conduct, and to award damages, pre- and post-judgment interest and reasonable attorneys’ fees, costs and expenses.
They also demand a jury trial.
Do you use Cottonelle flushable wipes? Have you stopped using them since the recall? Tell us about it in the comments below.
The plaintiffs are represented by Joshua L. Hedrick and Mark A. Fritsche of Hedrick Kring PLLC; and Patrick J. Stueve, J. Austin Moore, Abby McClellan, Crystal Cook Leftridge and Michael R. Owens of Stueve Siegel Hanson LLP.
The Cottonelle Flushable Wipes Class Action Lawsuit is Melissa Armstrong, et al. v. Kimberly-Clark Corp., Case No. 3:20-3150, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division.
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1,922 thoughts onCottonelle Class Action Lawsuit Filed Over Flushable Wipes Recall
I suffered with an itchy, sore anus. So sore water stung me. It went on for nearly a year—all thru the pandemic. I had terrible diarrhea which meant using MORE Cottonelle wipes. Went to three different MD’s and none could diagnose it. Treated it unsuccessfully for what they thought it might be, but wasn’t. I was at the end of my rope and frightened that maybe it was cancer. Stumbled upon the recall. This was many Costco cases purchased and used during the pandemic! They apologized and kept saying it was a natural occurring bacteria found.. . Where else, IN NATURE. I am not a scientist, but I’m pretty sure all bacteria is found “in nature.” To add insult to very real injury, they want to send me a prepaid Visa card with $115 on it. My god.
My husband had to visit a proctologist several times due to irritation to his bottom. Very uncomfortable and we had no idea of the cause until we switched butt wipes. Then I read about the recall! Please add us to the civil suit.
Please add me to this class action lawsuit my daughter and I both had UTIs and ended up going to the hospital during the pandemic… I have the hospital bills to prove it and called Cottenelle for compensation and they only want to give us $500… please advise what’s the next step?
With a heavy heart, I too have been traumatized by Cottonelle and their shady practices. How might you ask? Let me count the ways…firstly, having your anus crack and bleed like you’ve just been railed by C block…all of C block, even the guards is not very pleasant. It may look like a pretty little balloon knot surrounded by a bright red star, but it feels like you just drug your hind regions through a fiery pit of glass while someone hoses you down with lemon juice. If thats not bad enough, having a bowel movement has you searching for anything that could turn your solids to liquids, hell at one point I would have proudly sported chocolate sox after the Hershey squirts as long as my abusive didn’t have to stretch. I dont even like ice cream and I was searching for an ass sized carton for relief. Luckily I’m not a large human so the gallon size cheap plastic vanilla fit the bill with a little tub stretching, dont go neopolitan, the strawberry usually in the middle and it just leads to questions, but wait! There’s more! You bet there is Sara, much more, stay tuned. Bad enough already, no, not even close…my new girlfriend, my dream girl, my reason for waking up and with pure amazement saying DAMN; was using the same wipes. So she had the same happen to her and the added bonus of a vaginal infection. Bad, yes, but you see I love her because she’s fiesty…you don’t understand the wrath of a woman scorn whenever she believes she may have gotten gonorrhea or herpes from none other than yours truly. Buddy let me tell you…Cottonelle could never repay me for the shear fear and torment this caused me from the PTSD from just going to the toilet to the wrath I incurred from my other half…PS…Im on my third carton of vanilla in three days and the check out girl is starting to question my motives.
Add me.
My butthole is BLEEDING. Tears, yeast infection, what feels like a GI infection and UTI… This is miserable and very incredibly cruel. Someone please help.
Did you cure this?
Please add me to the class action lawsuit. i am from Texas and also purchased Cottonelle wipes from Costco. I had an awful and very painful experience to the point of bleeding after being infected from Cottonelle wipes. I was examined by my OB/GYN and was prescribed antibiotics. I don’t have health insurance and had to pay doctors bill and lab fees out of pocket. Sentry insurance (Cottonelle’s insurance provider) which is of no help really. I will NEVER use Cottonelle wipes again especially after learning how unsafe and unsanitary their production procedures are. Please help!
What AntiBiotic?
I understand the recall was issued in October, and I was unaware of it until I search these wipes for reactions. I thought I had a yeast infection maybe since I am experience irritation and severe itchiness at times. I check the recall list and the wipes I have are not listed. I k ow it from the wipes and wrote Cottonelle .
I purchased two boxes of these wipes from Costco and never received communication from Costco about the recall. I did however notice that the wipes had a very strange odor after opening a brand new package. This prompted me to see if anyone else was experiencing this issue which led me to this site. 2 female friends of mine made mention of symptoms related to a possible UTI after using the wipes at my home. Now I am sure they are victims of this bacterial recall.
Is there a Class action lawsuit on these cottonell products?Is there one file in CA. I purchased these.
I have used these wipes for years. Received a card from Costco explaining the situation and suggesting that I stop using the wipes. I did immediately. At this same time, I was experiencing and issue (very unpleasant odor). I went to the doctor and she said that my vagina was severely inflamed. She suggested that I see a specialist. By the time I was able to see the specialist, the infection had pretty much cleared up. I showed the card from Costco to the specialist and she say it was possible that the infection had been caused the the wipes.