J&J Ordered to Pay $15 Million in Talc Powder Cancer Trial

A Connecticut jury has found Johnson & Johnson liable for $15 million in damages in a lawsuit alleging that the company's talc powder caused a man to develop mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer. 

The verdict, delivered on Tuesday in Fairfield County Superior Court, marks another legal setback for Johnson & Johnson as it continues to grapple with thousands of lawsuits related to its talc products.

The plaintiff, Evan Plotkin, filed the lawsuit in 2021 shortly after his mesothelioma diagnosis. He claimed that decades of using Johnson & Johnson's baby powder led to his illness, alleging that the product contained asbestos, a known carcinogen.

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The jury's decision to award Plotkin $15 million in compensatory damages signifies their agreement that Johnson & Johnson's talc powder was a substantial factor in causing his mesothelioma. 

The jury also found that the company should pay punitive damages, which will be determined at a later date by the judge overseeing the case. Punitive damages are intended to punish a defendant for particularly egregious conduct and deter similar behavior in the future.

Johnson & Johnson To Appeal Verdict, Maintains Talc Products Are Safe

Johnson & Johnson maintains that its talc products are safe and do not contain asbestos. The company expressed its disagreement with the verdict and stated its intention to appeal. 

Erik Haas, J&J's worldwide vice president of litigation, said in a statement that the company would appeal what it called "erroneous" rulings by the trial judge that prevented the jury from hearing "critical facts" about the case.

"Those facts show that the verdict is irreconcilable with the decades of independent scientific evaluations confirming talc is safe, does not contain asbestos and does not cause cancer," Haas said.

J&J Seeks To Resolve Thousands of Talc Lawsuits With Bankruptcy Settlement

This verdict comes as Johnson & Johnson seeks to resolve claims by more than 62,000 people who allege that they developed ovarian and other gynecological cancers from using the company's talc products. The company has proposed a nearly $10 billion settlement in bankruptcy to address these claims. 

However, this bankruptcy deal faces legal challenges from some plaintiffs' lawyers and does not cover mesothelioma claims like Plotkin's.

Johnson & Johnson has previously settled some mesothelioma claims but has not proposed a nationwide settlement for these cases.

Plaintiffs Allege J&J Talc Products Contaminated With Asbestos

Plaintiffs in the talc lawsuits, including Plotkin, allege that Johnson & Johnson's talc products, such as its once-iconic baby powder, were contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos is a known carcinogen with a strong link to mesothelioma and other cancers.

Johnson & Johnson withdrew its talc-based baby powder from the U.S. market in 2020, citing declining sales and the ongoing litigation.

J&J Faces Mounting Legal Challenges Over Talc Products

The Plotkin verdict is not the first time Johnson & Johnson has faced legal challenges related to its talc products. In August 2024, a South Carolina jury awarded $63 million to Michael Perry, a man who alleged that his terminal lung cancer was caused by exposure to asbestos in Johnson & Johnson's baby powder.

In June 2024, Johnson & Johnson faced two significant legal developments. An Oregon jury awarded a woman $260 million, finding that the company's talcum powder caused her mesothelioma. Shortly after, Johnson & Johnson agreed to a $700 million settlement with 42 states to resolve claims that the company misled consumers about the safety of its talc products. 

If you or someone close to you has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer or mesothelioma after using talcum powder, you might qualify to pursue a talcum powder lawsuit. Injury Claims partners with lawyers specializing in talcum powder-related cancer cases.

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