This week Johnson & Johnson petitioned a Missouri state appeals court to dismiss a $72 million verdict. Last year, a jury awarded the settlement to the family of an Alabama woman who claimed the company’s talcum-based hygiene product caused her ovarian cancer. The company argued to a three-judge panel that a lawsuit filed by an Alabama resident against a company with headquarters in New Jersey does not belong in a Missouri Court. He noted that plaintiff Jacqueline Fox never bought any of the Johnson & Johnson talc products, which may have caused her cancer in the state of New Jersey.
Fox’s attorneys insist she filed her case in the appropriate forum because some of her co-plaintiffs were Missouri residents. However, this decision may be dependent on the pending decision from the U.S. Supreme Court in the Bristol-Myers Squibb v. Superior Court of California case.
Other Talc Cases
This isn’t the first time a jury found Johnson & Johnson negligent for their talc products. Recently, a jury award Lois Stemp, diagnosed with ovarian cancer after 40 years of talcum powder use, over $110 million. The jury cited Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder as a contributing cause for Stemp’s cancer. Plus, they felt the company showed a reckless disregard for her health. Stemp’s case is the fifth completed talcum powder case. The total awarded is a staggering $307 million.
Johnson & Johnson has vowed to appeal all of the verdicts reached in these talc cases to date.
Denies Wrongdoing
After multiple multi-million lawsuits, Johnson & Johnson still insist that they are innocent of any harm. They refuse to settle or admit any wrongdoing. On their own website, they maintain that their talc products are safe. They state: “We continue to manufacture and sell Johnson’s Baby Powder with talc because we remain completely confident in its safety.”
But, multiple studies show that they are wrong. Talc is harmful. A 2013 Journal of Cancer Prevention Research study showed that women who dusted their groin area with talcum powder had a 20-30% increased risk of developing ovarian cancer than women who did not use talc products. Even knowing these statistics and studies, they continue to market their baby powder as a safe product for use in infants and women.
More Trials to Come
Regardless, more women have their cases pending in St. Louis, and there are cases scheduled to go to trial in California in July. We are currently accepting new clients in all 50 states. If you or someone you know was diagnosed with ovarian cancer after using talcum powder, you may be eligible for compensation to ease the financial and emotional burdens you are experiencing. Contact us today to set up a free consultation, during which we will listen to your story, answer any questions you may have and discuss your legal rights and options. If you choose us to represent you, we will work with you on a contingency fee basis; this means you pay nothing until we have secured compensation for you, either through a jury verdict or settlement.