A woman who claimed that Johnson & Johnson’s talc powder caused her to suffer from ovarian cancer received a $55 million award in a recent Missouri lawsuit. The U.S. jury’s decision was released in early June. The cancer survivor received $5 million in compensatory damages and another $50 million in punitive damages.
Johnson & Johnson says it will appeal the ruling. However, this case is the second that the company has lost, and it currently has another 1,200 suits relating to talc-based products and cancer risks that are pending.
A three-week trial trial preceded the jury verdict and award. According to a Johnson & Johnson spokesperson, the verdict is not in alignment with 30 consecutive years of research that supports cosmetic talc’s safety. Lawyers representing the plaintiff, however, disagree. They say that she needed to have a hysterectomy procedure and other surgeries because of ovarian cancer that was caused by her use of Johnson & Johnson talc products. At this time, her cancer is in remission.
An attorney from the firm that represented the plaintiff said that she was gratified. He also indicated that the decision of the jury should end the litigation and motivate Johnson & Johnson to negotiate a global settlement for the cases that remained.
Issues relating to Johnson & Johnson talc powder are not dissimilar to dangers relating to other products found on grocery store shelves throughout New York. Indeed, there are no doubt numerous dangerous products on grocery store shelves right now that we do not know are devastatingly dangerous. However, when a New York resident is injured by one of these dangerous products, he or she has the ability to seek financial restitution in court.
Source: Reuters, “Johnson & Johnson hit with $55 million verdict in talc-powder trial,” Brandon Lowry, June 03, 2016
