Johnson and Johnson Loses Another Talc Case
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Talcum Powder Injury Lawyer. Over the years, talcum powder has been used for a variety of purposes, including medicine. Recent research has indicated that talcum powder could be linked to some dangerous diseases such as ovarian cancer. One of the leading pharmaceutical companies, Johnson and Johnson, recently lost a major court battle regarding talcum powder.
Talcum Powder Linked to Ovarian Cancer
In recent years, the number of lawsuits being filed against major pharmaceutical companies over insufficient warnings about the links between talcum powder and ovarian cancer has continued to grow. While cervical cancer has pap smears and breast cancer has mammograms, there is no conventional screening tool used to screen for ovarian cancer. This means that the cancer often is not detected until it starts causing the patient major symptoms, such as pathologic fractures. By this time, it is often too late. For this reason, ovarian cancer continues to remain one of the leading cancers in women in terms of mortality rate. The idea that improper use of talcum powder is contributing to this number is heartbreaking.
A $110 Million Settlement
Johnson and Johnson has been taken to court repeatedly for its failure to warn talcum powder users about the connections between talcum powder use and ovarian cancer. Recently, a woman from Virginia filed a lawsuit against Johnson and Johnson claiming that her use of talcum powder, which spanned decades, directly led to her development of ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer can lead to the development of chronic pain with difficulty classifying this pain. The woman is currently undergoing chemotherapy for treatment of her ovarian cancer, a treatment with significant side effects and financial cost. The St. Louis court was inclined to agree with the woman’s claim, awarding her over $110 million, with the vast majority of that amount being punitive in nature. While the funds will help to pay for her ovarian cancer treatment, it doesn’t reverse the effect that ovarian cancer has had on this woman’s life. It could lead to a wrongful death.
Thousands of Lawsuits
Johnson and Johnson has been a particularly popular target for product liability lawsuits regarding ovarian cancer. The company has faced over two thousand lawsuits in recent years over its talc-based products. Back in May, Johnson and Johnson was ordered to pay $55 million to a different plaintiff. This was quickly followed up with another $70 million verdict back in October dealt against Johnson and Johnson with co-defendant Imerys. The recent $110 million verdict is the largest levied against the pharmaceutical giant to date.
A Variety of Talc-Based Products
The story of the Virginia woman is not unusual. She used the company’s products for over forty years, including Johnson and Johnson’s Baby Powder and their Shower to Shower Powder. These products were among some of the best-selling products for the company as they were used to soak up moisture after bathing and showering; however, the powder also has a tendency to fly into the air where it can be inhaled. Once inhaled, the products have the potential to do major damage to the body’s internal organs, causing carcinogenic effects and other comorbidities.
Sacramento Personal Injury & Wrongful Death Lawyers
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Talcum Powder Injury Lawyer. While talcum powder has its uses, it also has the potential to do great damage when used in the wrong manner. If you, or a loved one has suffered injury due to talcum powder, please call my office at (916) 921-6440 for friendly, free advice. For those calling from outside of the local area, I also have a toll-free line at (800) 404-5400.
I am a member of the California chapter of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. This group includes many of the top-rated trial attorneys in the country. Each member of our group have obtained case verdicts in excess of $1 Million Dollars.
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Image Information: Austin Kirk, via Wikimedia Commons
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