Last Thursday, a Virginia woman was awarded more than $110 million in her talcum powder lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and Imerys Talc. This is the largest amount of compensation that has ever been awarded in a talcum powder case.
The plaintiff alleged that she developed ovarian cancer in 2012 because she regularly used J&J talcum powder-based products (Baby Powder and Shower to Shower) for feminine hygiene for approximately 40 years.
The talcum powder lawsuit claimed that both J&J and Imerys, a supplier of talcum powder products, failed to adequately warn consumers that using these products for feminine hygiene increased the risk of developing ovarian cancer.
The jury found that J&J bore 99 percent of the responsibility for the woman contracting cancer, while Imerys bore only one percent of the responsibility.
The jury awarded $5.4 million in compensatory damages along with punitive damages of $105 million against J&J and $50,000 against Imerys.
J&J’s statement about the verdict said that it has sympathy for women who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. However, the company plans to appeal this historic verdict.
Other Talcum Powder Lawsuits
Last Thursday’s verdict is the fifth talcum powder verdict in the past 15 months. The fourth verdict came in March, when a jury issued an 11-1 decision in favor of J&J.
However, the previous three verdicts ruled against J&J and awarded the plaintiffs $197 million in combined compensation, including:
- A $72 million verdict in February 2016 for the family of a woman who died from ovarian cancer
- A $55 million award issued in May of last year for a woman diagnosed with ovarian cancer
- A verdict in excess of $70 million in October 2016 for a woman who claims her cancer diagnosis was caused by her use of Baby Powder
More compensation could be awarded as there are approximately 2,400 pending lawsuits against J&J alleging that its talcum powder based products increase the risk of developing ovarian cancer.
Find Out How Our Attorneys Can Help You
If you used talcum powder-based products for feminine hygiene and have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, you may be able to file a lawsuit against J&J to recover compensation for all of the damages you have suffered.
Contact Janet, Janet & Suggs for a free consultation to find out if you have a viable talcum powder lawsuit. We do not charge for our services unless you receive the compensation you deserve.
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