A jury in St. Louis initially awarded a group of plaintiffs $550 million in damages for claims that their ovarian cancer was caused by the use of Johnson & Johnson talcum powder products. In the punitive damages portion of the trial, designed to punish Johnson & Johnson for its wrongdoing and corporate malfeasance, the jury awarded $4.14 billion, bringing the total award to $4.69 billion for the 22 plaintiffs.
Research has shown that women who use talc for a long period of time are at an elevated risk for developing ovarian cancer. Research has also shown that Johnson & Johnson’s talcum products contain asbestos, a well-known carcinogen. Women who have developed ovarian cancer as a result of using Johnson & Johnson’s products have filed hundreds of lawsuits throughout the country in order to hold Johnson & Johnson accountable for the damage caused by these products. Internal company documents obtained through discovery in these cases revealed that Johnson & Johnson knew of the link between talc and cancer for decades, but did nothing about it. The Missouri jury’s award likely reflected Johnson & Johnson’s failure to warn consumers or cease selling these products despite knowing the danger they posed to people.
If you or someone you know developed ovarian cancer after regularly using Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based baby powder, you may have a case. Contact a SUGARMAN personal injury lawyer today. Fill out a Contact Form, call us at 617-542-1000 or email info@sugarman.com.