A Los Angeles jury recently handed down a substantial verdict in favor of a mesothelioma victim who filed an asbestos cancer lawsuit against pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson, Cyprus Amax Minerals, Honeywell International, a unit of Brenntag and other local talc suppliers. In their verdict, the jury awarded the plaintiff $21.7 million in compensatory damages and will soon decide whether or not to punish the defendants further by awarded punitive damages.
The victim and her husband originally filed their mesothelioma cancer lawsuit against the defendants in 2017, alleging Johnson & Johnson knowingly sold talc products sourced from asbestos contaminated mines. As a result of using talcum powder over the course of many years, the victim developed mesothelioma, according to the lawsuit.
Jurors found Johnson & Johnson 67% responsible for the plaintiff's injuries and will have to pay a share of the award proportional to this determination. The remainder of the award will be split among the remaining defendants in the case.
The verdict marks the second one handed down against the company in as many months, and it currently faces another ongoing trial in Darlington County, South Carolina over similar allegations thats talc-based products caused the plaintiff's mesothelioma diagnosis. In April 2018, a New Jersey jury handed down a massive $117 million to a man who claimed years of using Johnson & Johnson's Baby Powder caused his mesothelioma diagnosis.
Mesothelioma is a rare and deadly form of cancer linked directly with exposure to asbestos. The disease commonly affects the thin linings of tissue surrounding vital organ like the heart, lungs and abdomen. Mesothelioma has a latency period of 20 to 50 years, and by the time patients begin to show symptoms, they are often left with diminished medical treatment options to fight the disease.
While talc does not contain asbestos itself, the two naturally occurring minerals are often discovered in deposits very close to one another, increasing the risk of contaminated talc used in a variety of consumer products. Although the federal government mandated talc be asbestos free and placed many other regulations on the use of asbestos in other products since the 1970s, many companies were already aware of the dangers but continued to place their dangerous products into the stream of commerce.
As a result of the greed of asbestos companies, tens of thousands of innocent people developed a mesothelioma cancer diagnosis and suffered serious damages. By filing an asbestos cancer lawsuit, victims and their families can recover vital compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and the pain and suffering of living with a disease that still has no cure today.
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.
