A New York state jury recently handed down a substantial $25 million verdict in favor of a plaintiff who claims she developed an asbestos-related cancer after decades of using talcum powder products manufactured and sold by pharmaceutical and cosmetics giant Johnson & Johnson. The award includes compensatory damages for the victim’s medical bills and lost wages as well as the pain and suffering of living with the disease as well as damages for the plaintiff’s husband.
According to the lawsuit, filed in 2017 in New York City Supreme Court, the plaintiff used Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower almost daily from the time she was 8 years old until after she was married. Her attorneys claimed she developed mesothelioma from inhaling asbestos fibers in the talc.
In addition to the $25 million in compensatory damages, jurors will decide what if any punitive damages may be awarded to the plaintiffs. Punitive damages are a special type of award which courts may allow juries to hand down in cases in which plaintiffs have demonstrated that the level of misconduct by the defendants was so egregious that it warrants such damages as to deter other parties from acting in a similarly negligent manner.
Johnson & Johnson faces an estimated 14,000 other talcum powder cancer lawsuits alleging the company’s talc-based products are responsible for developing various types of cancer, in particular mesothelioma. Across the country juries have thus far handed down over $5 billion in compensatory damages and punitive damages to dozens of talcum powder cancer victims who claim they developed mesothelioma or ovarian cancer after using Johnson & Johnson talcum powder products contaminated with asbestos fibers
Both talc and asbestos are naturally occurring minerals which can often be found in deposits side by side one another. If precautions are not taken, the talc may be contaminated with cancer causing asbestos which can put innocent consumers at risk for developing serious health conditions, the most serious of which is mesothelioma. Other health conditions associated with asbestos exposure may include ovarian cancer and asbestosis of the lungs, depending on the type and length of exposure.
Mesothelioma is a rare and deadly form of cancer that causes tumors to grow in thin linings of skin surrounding the lungs but can also develop in vital organs such as the heart and abdominal cavity before spreading elsewhere. There is no cure for mesothelioma and due to the lengthy latency periods, which can range anywhere from 20 to 50years, patients are often left with diminished treatment options by the time a diagnosis is made.
Nationwide Mesothelioma Lawyer
If you or a loved one were diagnosed with mesothelioma, contact our office to speak to one of our experienced mesothelioma attorneys about your situation. Our office can help investigate your case and determine if compensation can be sought from negligent parties to help pay for your medical treatment.