$417 Million Verdict Against Johnson & Johnson; Woman Claims Talcum Powder Use Caused Cancer

Eva Echeverria, 63, of Los Angeles Awarded $417 Million in Talcum Powder Lawsuit Against Johnson & Johnson

417-million-talcum-powder-award-against-johnson-and-johnsonBy Susan Schaben

LOS ANGELES, California (August 22, 2017) — A woman who claimed her ovarian cancer was caused by Johnson & Johnson talcum or baby powder use was awarded $417 million by a Los Angeles jury, according to news reports.

The award is the first of its kind in California and the largest to date among several high-profile cases in recent years.

The award to Eva Echeverria, 63, of Los Angeles includes $68 million in compensatory damages and $340 million in punitive damages. Echeverria is one of seven women who filed suit
in Los Angeles Superior Court in July 2016 against both Johnson & Johnson and Imerys Talc America Inc. after using talcum products over a long period of time. The lawsuit contends that the company failed to adequately warn consumers about the risk of cancer from using its talc-based products.

Echeverria began using talcum from the age of 11 years old and eventually was diagnosed with cancer in 2007.  Doctors removed a tumor the size of a softball from her ovaries. She didn’t stop using the talcum powder until January 2016 when she learned about the potential link with cancer in the news.

The lawsuit claims New Brunswick, New Jersey-based Johnson & Johnson did not disclose the truth about its products. There is no warning labels on its products. On the other hand, Johnson & Johnson stated there was no scientific evidence to support Echeverria’s claims and that they plan to appeal the verdict.

However, this is the fourth out of five similar cases in the past two years that Johnson & Johnson has lost at trial.

The plaintiff’s contend that there is a link between long-term talc use and ovarian cancer based on studies conducted between 1971 and 1982, but Johnson & Johnson failed to warn consumers about the potential health risk.  Despite being aware of the potential risk to women, Echeverria claimed in her lawsuit that the company put women at risk by not disclosing the link.

Talcum Powder Lawsuits

The verdict follows a similar one awarded in May to a Virginia woman who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012. The woman was awarded $110.5 million by a St. Louis, Missouri jury.

There are more than 1,000 similar lawsuits filed by women who claim their ovarian cancer was caused by talcum powder and that Johnson & Johnson should be held accountable. Many have received much smaller awards or settlements.

The American Cancer Association states that talc in its natural form is known to contain asbestos, a carcinogenic substance known to cause cancer to humans when it is inhaled into the lungs. This mineral, which comprises magnesium, silicon and oxygen, is often used by women in their genital region to absorb moisture and keep it dry. Studies have shown that particles may enter the vagina, the uterus or the Fallopian tubes and travel to the ovaries.  In 2006, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified talcum powder as a possible human carcinogen.

Talcum Powder Law Firm

Johnson Attorneys Group represents clients who believe they were harmed by using talcum powder products. Our personal injury law firm handles cases on behalf of victims who have been diagnosed with Ovarian or fallopian tube cancers after using products such as Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder, Shower to Shower powder or WalMart’s Equate talcum powder. You may be entitled to damages to compensate you for lost wages, medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of consortium, loss of enjoyment of your life.

Our California law firm works on a contingency-fee basis which means you will not pay us fees unless we are able to provide you with a financial settlement. If there is no settlement, you do not pay us attorney fees.

Call us at 800-235-6801 to begin your claim.

 

 

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