Effective, professional, and on top of the process. Special recognition for Tina Morace.
Rafal Konopka
9 months ago
Caused thousands of women to suffer from ovarian cancer. Over the past few years, Johnson & Johnson, the well-known maker of popular talcum powder products, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower, has been fighting claims that its talcum powder products have caused thousands of women to suffer from ovarian cancer. […]
Caused thousands of women to suffer from ovarian cancer. Over the past few years, Johnson & Johnson, the well-known maker of popular talcum powder products, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower, has been fighting claims that its talcum powder products have caused thousands of women to suffer from ovarian cancer. Johnson & Johnson has already faced multiple trials where juries have awarded those injured, and the families of deceased plaintiffs, hundreds of millions of dollars collectively. However, Johnson & Johnson has won a trial where it successfully defended the safety of its talc-based baby powder products. Evidence from past trials shows that Johnson & Johnson was aware of the link between talc, the key ingredient in baby powder, and the development of ovarian cancer.
Because so many lawsuits are pending against Johnson & Johnson, the company faces yet another trial that will likely last until the middle of July. While the prior trials against Johnson & Johnson typically involved one injured or deceased woman at a time, the upcoming trial in St. Louis involves multiple women who are currently suffering from ovarian cancer or who have already died from ovarian cancer.
Currently, there have not been any large-scale global settlements to resolve all outstanding talc claims. Instead, Johnson & Johnson is fighting tooth and nail to defend each case one trial at a time. Like Johnson & Johnson, plaintiffs are fighting tirelessly with the help of Talc Lawsuit Product Liability Lawyers to hold the global company accountable for choosing money over safety in the development, manufacture, and sale of its talcum powder products.
As such, trials will likely continue until the day comes when Johnson & Johnson is ready to resolve the more than 9,000 talc lawsuits the company currently faces. The number of talcum powder cancer lawsuits may continue to grow as women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer month after month and year after year. Even if a woman stopped using baby powder after learning about the link between the talc-based products and ovarian cancer, she might still develop ovarian cancer in the future, placing her in a state of constant fear asking “what if” every day. It takes time for cancer to develop, so a woman may not suffer the consequences of repeated talcum powder use until years after she stops using the product.
Johnson & Johnson has been busy defending itself against lawsuits all across the United States. So far, the global company has been involved in six (6) trials involving the use of baby powder products for hygienic purposes and the development of ovarian cancer. It is important to remember that nearly every trial verdict is appealed by the losing party in a case, and in some cases, the appellate courts have overturned jury verdicts in favor of the injured plaintiffs. At this time, two verdicts (Fox and Echeverria) have been overturned by the courts. However, the message from the jury is still clear when plaintiffs suffering from ovarian cancer have collectively been awarded more than $700 million in damages, as set forth below:
| CASE NAME | DATE | VERDICT | |
| 1. | Fox v. Johnson & Johnson | February 2016 | Plaintiff – $72 Million |
| 2. | Ristesund v. Johnson & Johnson | May 2016 | Plaintiff – $55 Million |
| 3. | Daniels v. Johnson & Johnson | March 2017 | Defendant |
| 4. | Slemp v. Johnson & Johnson | May 2017 | Plaintiff – $110 Million |
| 5. | Echeverria v. Johnson & Johnson | August 2017 | Plaintiff – $417 Million |
| 6. | Giannecchini v. Johnson & Johnson | September 2017 | Plaintiff – $70 Million |
The upcoming trial against Johnson & Johnson, taking place in St. Louis County, Missouri, will likely conclude in mid-July. With twenty-two (22) plaintiffs, the trial is expected to last more than one month. Some of these women are alive and continue to suffer from ovarian cancer while others have unfortunately already passed away from ovarian cancer. The jury will hear the facts of each plaintiff’s case and decide whether Johnson & Johnson should be held liable for the ovarian cancer that each of these women has suffered. Given that Johnson & Johnson has lost similar trials, many people hope that these plaintiffs will reach a similar fate and receive verdicts that demonstrate how Johnson & Johnson concealed important safety information from consumers.
Current lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson regarding the global company’s talc-based products, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower, allege that Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based products are (1) defective; and (2) that the company did not warn consumers that talcum powder is a known carcinogen linked to cancer. A majority of the women who have filed lawsuits share the following criteria:
Many women who have filed lawsuits have already passed away because of ovarian cancer. In some cases, family members, such as spouses or adult children, have been filing wrongful death lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson on behalf of their loved ones. While Johnson & Johnson claims that its talc-products are safe, the plaintiffs are alleging that Johnson & Johnson was well aware of the link between talc and the development of cancer decades ago and did nothing to inform consumers about this link. Had consumers been aware of the link between repeated use of talcum powder and ovarian cancer, they may have chosen to use another product that did not contain talc.
The vast majority of cases against Johnson & Johnson involve the effects of talc, the key substance in baby powder products that numerous juries believe is linked to ovarian cancer. More recent cases allege that Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based powder products contain asbestos, a substance that is strongly linked to the development of mesothelioma. Such cases against Johnson & Johnson involve both women and men who allege that inhalation of dust particles emitted from the talc-based products contain asbestos that has caused them to develop mesothelioma, a deadly type of cancer. So far, Johnson and Johnson has faced the following trials involving the use of its talc-based products and the development of mesothelioma, where juries have awarded plaintiffs more than $140 million in damages collectively:
| CASE NAME | DATE | VERDICT | |
| 1. | Lanzo v. Johnson & Johnson | April 2018 | Plaintiff – $117 Million |
| 2. | Anderson v. Johnson & Johnson | May 2018 | Plaintiff – $25.75 Million |
| 3. | Boyd-Bostic v. Johnson & Johnson | May 2018 | Mistrial – Jury Could Not Reach Decision |
Because Johnson & Johnson has not demonstrated any interest in settling claims, asbestos-related talc lawsuits are likely to continue for the immediate years to come in addition to talc lawsuits involving the development of ovarian cancer. The link between asbestos in Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based products is relatively new, affecting just as many men as women.
Early on in the talc litigation, many people believed that only women suffering from ovarian cancer would be able to hold Johnson & Johnson accountable for its actions. Now, however, men and women alike suffering from mesothelioma linked to asbestos-containing talc products are fighting to ensure Johnson & Johnson pays the price for failing to inform consumers of the risks associated with exposure to its products and the development of cancer.
If you believe your ovarian cancer or mesothelioma is linked to your use of products containing talcum powder, or if you have lost a loved one to ovarian cancer or mesothelioma, you should act quickly to speak with a Talc Cancer Lawsuit Attorney right away. At Parker Waichman LLP, our nationally-recognized trial attorneys fight endlessly to help their clients receive compensation for their injuries. To learn whether you or a loved one has a potential legal claim, contact our office today by calling (800) YOUR-LAWYER (968-7529) to schedule your free consultation.