Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder Lawsuit Attorneys at Gilman Law LLP Comment on Jury Decision Awarding $117 Million to Plaintiff in Baby Powder Mesothelioma Case
A jury in New Jersey’s Middlesex County Superior Court has ordered Johnson & Johnson and its talc supplier to pay $117 million in total damages to a man who developed mesothelioma following years of exposure to the company’s popular Baby Powder product.
According to court documents, the plaintiff’s exposure to Baby Powder dates back to 1972 when he was born. The talc-based powder continued to be a regular part of his personal hygiene routine until he was diagnosed with the deadly form of cancer. His talcum powder lawsuit alleged that the talc used to manufacture Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder was tainted with asbestos and was the only possible explanation for his mesothelioma diagnosis. (Lanzo v. Cyprus Amex Minerals Co., L00738516, Middlesex Superior Court)
Mesothelioma Plaintiff Awarded $37 Million in Compensatory Damages, $80 Million in Punitive Damages
“The plaintiff in this case was able to produce a significant number of internal documents that indicated officials at Johnson & Johnson were concerned that asbestos was tainting its talc as early as 1969,” says Ken Gilman, founding and managing partner of Gilman Law LLP. “The company’s scientists even warned Johnson & Johnson to prepare for litigation if that information ever became public.”
Jurors deliberated for less than a day before finding Johnson & Johnson and Imery’s Talc America liable for the plaintiff’s pain and suffering, awarding him and his wife $37 million in compensatory damages on April 5, 2018. The plaintiff was awarded another $80 million in punitive damages on April 11th, after the jury determined that the defendants’ conduct showed willful and wanton disregard for his health.
Talcum Powder Ovarian Cancer Lawsuits
“This was the first time a jury has found for the plaintiff in a case involving Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder products and mesothelioma,” says Mr. Gilman. “However, several juries had already awarded multimillion verdicts to plaintiffs who had filed talcum powder lawsuits against the company for ovarian cancer.”
More than 6,600 claims nationwide have been filed on behalf of women who developed ovarian cancer allegedly related to the long-term, daily application of Johnson’s & Johnson’s talc-based powders to the perineal area. So far, four plaintiffs have been awarded compensatory and punitive damage totaling more than $400 million, though two of those verdicts were recently dismissed.
Gilman Law LLP is providing complimentary lawsuit consultations to anyone who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer or mesothelioma that may be related to their use of Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder or Shower-to-Shower. For more information, please contact the firm today by visiting our website to fill out a free, no obligation case evaluation form, or call Toll Free at 1-888-252-0048.
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Gilman Law LLP, a leading pharmaceutical law and defective drug law firm, has been recognized for delivering successful results to their clients across a broad range of claims stemming from consumer product injury, mass tort, and class action lawsuits. For over 40 years, the Gilman Law LLP team of highly experienced lawyers has earned renown for tireless work on behalf of their clients on many of today’s most challenging and important legal issues.
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