New York-based Colgate-Palmolive recently agreed to settle a talcum powder asbestos lawsuit to resolve claims that its products caused the mesothelioma cancer of a New Jersey woman. The undisclosed settlement amount will compensate the victim for her cancer diagnosis without the company admitting liability for causing the plaintiff's injuries.
Recently, women across the country have filed lawsuits against cosmetics companies alleging talcum powder caused their serious health conditions, including ovarian cancer and mesothelioma. Johnson & Johnson itself is facing an estimated 5,500 talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuits in state and federal courts and juries in cases heard thus far have handed down substantial verdicts for plaintiffs.
According to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Colgate-Palmolive faces 170 talcum powder asbestos cancer lawsuits accusing the company of selling talcum powder products contaminated with the cancer causing mineral. Colgate-Palmolive claims to has settled 43 of those cases so far.
In 2015, a California jury awarded $13 million to a plaintiff who claimed her 20-year use of Colgate-Palmolive's Cashmere Bouquet product was the cause of her mesothelioma diagnosis and the company failed to disclose to her the risks of asbestos-contaminated products. Colgate-Palmolive eventually settled that case for an undisclosed amount to resolve the matter without the need for a lengthy appeal.
The latest case was filed in Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division-Middlesex County and the California case was filed in the Superior Court for the State of California for the County of Los Angeles. Colgate-Palmolive settled both cases for an undisclosed amount outside of court to avoid future litigation.
Asbestos Cancer Health Risks
For many decades, companies across the country used asbestos in a variety of commercial, industrial, and military applications because of the mineral's heat resistant properties. Unfortunately, these same entities knowingly created a dangerous product but did nothing to warn consumers about the health risks their products posed.
Although most companies phased out asbestos in their commercial products, some companies like Colgate-Palmolive and Johnson & Johnson may have continued to use talcum powder from sources contaminated with asbestos. As a result, thousands of women who would otherwise have never encountered the cancer-causing agent potentially developed mesothelioma from using talcum powder based products over the course of several decades.
Mesothelioma is a rare and deadly form of lung cancer that commonly affects the thin lining of tissue surrounding the lungs and abdomen but can eventually spread to vital organs like the heart. There is no cure for mesothelioma and victims are often left with few treatment options once the disease begins to show symptoms decades after the exposure actually took place.
Arizona Mesothelioma Lawyer
If you or a loved one were diagnosed with mesothelioma, contact our office to speak to one of our experienced Arizona mesothelioma attorneys about your situation. Our office can help investigate your case and determine if compensation can be sought from negligent parties to help pay for your medical treatment to help you and your family live a more comfortable life.
