It took a full day of deliberations after a 2-month trial for the jury to reach its verdict, siding with plaintiff Stephen Lanzo III and his wife, who claimed that asbestos contained in Johnson’s Baby Powder and other products manufactured by J&J caused his development of mesothelioma, a cancer that begins in the lining of the tissues of the lungs.
Free Confidential Lawsuit Evaluation: If you or a loved one got cancer after using a talcum powder product, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a suit and our lawyers can help.
Update: Report Finds J&J Knew About Asbestos in Baby Powder
January 7, 2019 – A new investigative report by Reuters has found that Johnson & Johnson was aware as far back as the 1950s that its Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower had asbestos, and in particular tremolite, 1 of 6 asbestos-containing minerals.
“The Environmental Protection Agency; the Department of Health and Human Services have identified asbestos as a carcinogen, which makes it a chemical that causes cancer in the body, and has been associated with different types of cancer: mesothelioma, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, and other gynecological cancers are, in some way, the main ones involved,” said Emily Barrett, associate professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the Rutgers Institute of Occupational Health and Environment Sciences.
What’s the Problem?
April 6, 2018 – The jury awarded $30 million in compensatory damages to Lanzo and $7 million to his wife, Kendra, according to Law360. Presiding Judge Ana C. Viscomi instructed the jurors to return to court on Tuesday to determine whether punitive damages are warranted in the case.
In their decision, the jury found that J&J was 70% to blame and its talc supplier, Imerys Talc America Inc., 30%.
J&J later told Law360, “While we are disappointed with this decision, the jury has further deliberations to conduct in this trial and we will reserve additional comment until the case is fully completed.”
Lanzo and his wife, who was also named as a plaintiff in the lawsuit, claim that his decades of use and exposure to Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder products, which began with his mother applying Johnson’s Baby Powder to him during diaper changes as a baby, contributed to his development of mesothelioma.
In reaching their verdict, jurors concluded that Lanzo was exposed to asbestos from using Johnson’s Baby Powder and/or Shower to Shower from 1972 to 2003, and that such exposure was a substantial factor in causing his cancer.
Jury Awards $80 Million Punitive Damages in Talc Meso Suit
April 11, 2018 – Less than a week after a jury in a New Jersey state court handed down a hefty $37 million judgement against J&J and Imerys S.A., the same group of jurors added $80 million in punitive damages to the total damages in the case of Stephen Lanzo III and his wife. The jury ultimately concluded that the damages were warranted because the companies acted in reckless disregard of the rights of the plaintiffs.
Do I Have a Talcum Powder Lawsuit?
The Pharmaceutical Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in talcum powder lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new cancer cases in all 50 states.
Free Case Evaluation: Again, if you were harmed by a talc product, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to a settlement by filing a suit and we can help.