Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder Linked To Cancer: A Lawsuit!

An LA jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay an amount of $417 million to a hospitalized woman in a lawsuit when she claimed that the talc in the baby power led to ovarian cancer when used for feminine hygiene. Eva Echeverria from California filed a lawsuit against the company and the verdict of the case marked the largest sum awarded in the trail of talc powder lawsuits filed against the company. She accused the company for not posting warnings about the potential cancer risks involved.

Eva Echeverria used the company's baby powder regularly from 1950 to 2016 and was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2007, as per court papers. She said that the disease developed due to, "proximate result of the unreasonably dangerous and defective nature of talcum powder." Her attorney, Mark Robinson said that she is currently undergoing treatment and is hospitalized. She also hopes that the verdict of this case would urge the company to post warning on the products about cancer risks.

"Mrs. Echeverria is dying from this ovarian cancer and she said to me all she wanted to do was to help the other women throughout the whole country who have ovarian cancer for using Johnson & Johnson for 20 and 30 years," says attorney Mark Robinson.

He also said, "She really didn't want sympathy. She just wanted to get a message out to help these other women."

The award amount included $68 million as compensatory damages and $340 million as punitive damages. Robinson also came up with internal records which "showed the jury that Johnson & Johnson knew about the risks of talc and ovarian cancer," which were the evidences in the case.

"Johnson & Johnson had many warning bells over a 30 year period but failed to warn the women who were buying its product," he added.

Johnson & Johnson spokeswoman Carol Goodrich said that the company will appeal the jury's decision. She added that they sympathize with the women suffering from ovarian cancer, but scientific evidences state that the company's talcum powder is safe.

Back in 2012, a Virginia woman who was also diagnosed with ovarian cancer was awarded $110.5 million by a Missouri jury. She also blamed the company's talcum powder for the illness, which she had been using for 40 years. Three other trials took place here and all of them were awarded a compensatory amount for damages. Over 1000 similar lawsuits were filed by people where they were awarded different amounts for the case.

Johnson & Johnson: Johnson & Johnson ordered to pay $417m in lawsuit linking baby powder to cancer. Two similar cases in New Jersey were thrown out by a judge who said the plaintiffs' lawyers did not presented reliable evidence linking talc to ovarian cancer. More than 1,000 other people have filed similar lawsuits. Some who won their lawsuits won much lower amounts, illustrating how juries have wide latitude in awarding monetary damages.

With inputs from Reuters