Johnson & Johnson Loses Another Asbestos Talcum Powder Trial — Plaintiff Awarded $25.7 Million Verdict

Johnson & Johnson has been slapped with a $25.7 million verdict for its negligence in failing to warn consumers of the potential health risks of using their baby powder. An Oregon woman who developed mesothelioma claimed that she developed the rare form of lung cancer from repeated exposure to Johnson & Johnson baby powder and her husband are the plaintiffs in this case which included $4 million in punitive damages.

A story in CNN.com reports that plaintiff Joanne Anderson, who is an avid bowler, used baby powder in her shoes and on her hands. She used the product on her babies to prevent diaper rash. Experts estimated that she used the product more than 10,000 times. Ms. Anderson was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, which is a form of lung cancer linked to asbestos exposure. The CNN article reports that both talc and asbestos are often mined near each other, and since the 1970’s, the talc used in consumer products has been required to be free of asbestos. Johnson & Johnson said that its talc does not contain asbestos.

In a statement, Johnson & Johnson said through spokesperson Carol Goodrich, “Over the past 50 years, multiple independent, non-litigation driven scientific evaluations have been conducted by respected academic institutions and government bodies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and none have found that the talc in Johnson’s Baby Powder contains asbestos.”

Johnson & Johnson and Imerys ordered to pay $80 million in punitive damages

A few weeks ago, a New Jersey jury awarded a couple $117 million after the husband got cancer from having used talcum powder for decades. Johnson & Johnson and talc mining company Imerys SA were ordered to pay $80 million in punitive damages to banker Stephen Lanzo III over his claims that the talc products laced with asbestos caused his cancer. The Insurance Journal reported that the same jury concluded that officials from both companies knew for years that their talc contained trace amounts of asbestos, a known carcinogen. The jury awarded punitive damages after discovering that executives at Johnson & Johnson have known that their talcum products were laced with asbestos for more than 40 years and they hid this information from consumers. They found J&J liable for 70% and Imerys liable for 30% of the punitive damages.

Despite having lost two trials in as many months, Johnson & Johnson stands by its products and continues to deny that they are dangerous. They plan to appeal both verdicts even as they are also facing thousands of claims from consumers connecting talc to causing ovarian cancer.

If you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with mesothelioma from any source, we invite you to talk to the Phoenix defective product attorneys at Plattner Verderame, P.C. to learn about your legal options. We are here to help. You may contact us today by calling 602-266-2002 or filling out our contact form.