Missouri Jury Awards $4.69 Billion In Talc Verdict
A jury sitting in St. Louis Missouri awarded 22 women and their respective families $4.69 billion dollars, linking their use of talcum powder to ovarian cancer. The jury found that the talc contained asbestos which resulted in the cancer diagnosis.
The jury was made up of six men and six women and sat in front of Judge Rex M. Burlison at the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court in St. Louis. The jury returned the verdict after eight hours of deliberations. The breakdown, of the award includes $550 million dollars in compensatory damages and $4.14 billion in punitive damages against the company.
There have been many other trials in which juries have determined that talc products which contained asbestos, caused mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos products. However, this is the first trial in the United States where exposure to talcum powder has been linked to ovarian cancer.
Mark Lanier, the lead trial lawyer demonstrated through expert witnesses that the talc used and produced in the baby powder does contain asbestos fibers and therefore caused the ovarian cancer. Specifically, microscopic asbestos fibers entered the body through the use of the talcum power. Asbestos fibers and talc particles were found in the ovarian tissues of many of the women.
Mark Lanier said: “For over 40 years, Johnson & Johnson has covered up the evidence of asbestos in their products,” “We hope this verdict will get the attention of the J&J board and that it will lead them to better inform the medical community and the public about the connection between asbestos, talc, and ovarian cancer. The company should pull talc from the market before causing further anguish, harm, and death from a terrible disease. J&J sells the same powders in a marvelously safe corn starch variety. If J&J insists on continuing to sell talc, they should mark it with a serious warning.”
If you or someone you know would like to speak to one of our attorneys about a talc product matter, contact our attorneys day or night. Our attorneys represent individuals who have been harmed by unsafe products throughout New Jersey and New York. We are available for a free consultation. Contract our firm today for more information.
