Johnson & Johnson is currently appealing a $40 million verdict awarded by a Los Angeles jury to two women who claimed that the company’s talcum powder products caused their ovarian cancer. The jury awarded Monica Kent $18 million in damages. Debbie Schultz (left) and her husband received $22 million after they successfully claimed that their decades-long use of Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powders, such as Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower body powder, led to their declining health.
The legal fight over the safety of talc products has raged for decades. In the last few trials, Johnson & Johnson successfully defended itself, winning verdicts in 16 of 17 ovarian cancer cases. Though the recent verdict is just one of many the company faces, it undoubtedly has been a challenge for the company. Yet now, it is facing more and more lawsuits related to its talc products.
Erik Haas, Johnson & Johnson’s worldwide vice president of litigation, stated that the company views the jury’s findings as “irreconcilable with the decades of independent scientific evaluations confirming that talc is safe, does not contain asbestos, and does not cause cancer.” Haas reiterated the company’s intent to appeal both the liability verdict rendered and the amount of compensatory damages awarded.
Johnson & Johnson has continued to argue and maintain that its talc is safe. They sprinkle their adhesives with the assurance that it is free from hazardous contaminants like asbestos, which is known to cause multiple cancers. Despite all these assurances, the company went on to suffer major financial repercussions just recently. A jury has ordered them to pay $966 million to the family of a woman who died from mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer that affects the lungs and other organs.
Johnson & Johnson’s $9 billion plan was rejected in April by a U.S. bankruptcy court judge. This plan was supposed to resolve claims associated with ovarian cancer, mesothelioma and other gynecological cancers that stem from their talc-based products. The company has plenty of company as it navigates a maze of billion-dollar, ongoing litigation. It is currently doing all it can to protect its reputation and financial future.
The contentious litigation has gained interest from many stakeholders, not least of which are the consumers who’ve used the products for 30, 40, or more years. Daniel Robinson, the plaintiffs’ spokesperson, pointed to the fierce loyalty of customers. Thousands of people have put their trust in Johnson & Johnson’s products for decades.
“The only thing they did was be loyal to Johnson & Johnson as a customer for only 50 years,” – Daniel Robinson
Despite the clear rebuke from the Tenth Circuit, Johnson & Johnson is continuing with its appeal. The result could have significant repercussions for the corporation and the victims of its unsafe wares. According to legal experts, this impending case could help define key precedents about liability and consumer protections in one of the most dangerous industries.
