Winnipeg family claims 'excruciating' skin wounds linked to sunscreen, sues manufacturer

A Winnipeg family who went on a vacation hoping to relax and enjoy their time away ended up experiencing unbearable pain on their skin which they claim was caused by the sunscreen product they used.

The mother and three young children are now suing the company that makes the sunscreen and the retailer that sold it to them.

The woman and her husband went to Cuba for a holiday in April 2023 along with their children, now aged 13, 10 and six, says a statement of claim she filed this month at the Court of King's Bench in Winnipeg.

Before leaving, they went to a Walmart store in Winnipeg and bought a bottle of Banana Boat Ultra Sport SPF 50 sunscreen to take with them.

While on vacation, the mother applied the sunscreen to herself and the children in the manner outlined in the directions on the product, according to the statement of claim.

Shortly after the sunscreen was applied, the mom and her children felt a "burning sensation" on the skin where the product was applied, the court document says.

Thinking that the burning sensation could have been caused by sun exposure, they reapplied the sunscreen about two hours later.

Vacation 'transformed into a nightmare': suit

"After applying the sunscreen for a second time, the plaintiffs felt excruciating and unbearable pain, akin to feeling acid on their skin," the claim says.

The mother had skin wounds on her forehead, chest, arms, shoulder, back and knees, it says.

Her daughter got wounds and rashes on her shoulders and arms, according to the lawsuit, while the now 10-year-old boy had wounds on his shoulders, back, face, ears and arms, and his six-year-old brother had wounds on his face, ears, and forearms.

"What was supposed to be a relaxing and joyful family vacation quickly transformed into a nightmare," the court document says. 

The pain from the wounds got worse, forcing the family to stay out of the sun for the rest of the trip and miss out on some non-refundable excursions they had planned, the lawsuit claims.

It says that when the family returned to Winnipeg, they were "covered in fluid-filled blisters" and discovered they had chemical burns on their skin resulting from the sunscreen.

The allegations in the statement of claim have not been tested in court and the defendants have not filed defence statements.

Sunscreen contained carcinogenic benzene: lawsuit

The mother and three children are all plaintiffs in the lawsuit, with the mother serving as litigation guardian for the youths.

They're suing the manufacturer and distributor of the Banana Boat brand sunscreen, Edgewell Personal Care Canada ULC, as well as Walmart Canada Corp., which was the retailer.

The lawsuit alleges that Edgewell made or distributed a sunscreen that was defective and unsafe for use. 

The court document claims the Banana Boat sunscreen was made with the chemical compound benzene, which Edgewell "knew or ought to have known was harmful to human skin and has carcinogenic properties."

The court document alleges Edgewell failed to put a warning on the sunscreen bottle about any potential adverse effects that could happen from applying the product.

It also alleges Walmart and its employees had a duty to ensure the sunscreen it was selling was safe. Walmart failed to notify its employees about the dangers associated with the product, the claim says. 

A spokesperson for Edgewell said in a statement the company does not comment on open litigation.

An emailed statement from Stephanie Fusco, Walmart Canada's senior manager of corporate affairs, said the company is aware of the complaint, but since it's an ongoing legal matter, it cannot comment further.

Fusco said the sunscreen product at issue in the lawsuit is currently available for sale.

CBC reached out to the plaintiff's lawyer for comment on the case but had not received a response prior to publication.

The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount of damages for the mother and children in a variety of categories, including for pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life.