Mesothelioma Legal Blog

Pharmaceutical and cosmetics giant Johnson & Johnson has announced that the company will cease sales of talc-based Baby Powder in the United States and Canada, calling it a “commercial decision” to wind down sales in those markets. Johnson & Johnson’s cornstarch based Baby Powder will continue to be sold in North America, which the company claims accounts for three-quarters of all the sales of its iconic cosmetic product, but that the talc-based version will continue to be distributed to overseas markets.

Mesothelioma does not occur immediately after asbestos exposure. It can take up to 60 years for mesothelioma to develop. Unfortunately, while the development of mesothelioma begins slowly, once tumors form, they tend to spread rather quickly. When mesothelioma tumors metastasize (spread), they move from their original location to other body parts. Because of how quickly mesothelioma can spread through the body, it is considered an aggressive form of cancer. Unfortunately, once mesothelioma tumors have metastasized, treatment options become more limited.

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare cancer that attacks the lining of the organs – lung, heart and abdomen. After malignant mesothelioma is diagnosed by a biopsy, the medical staff will determine the stage of the disease. To determine the stage of the malignant mesothelioma, physicians may conduct a computer tomography-CT or magnetic resonance imaging-MRI sans to evaluate the progression of the disease. Once physicians determine the stage, they will determine the appropriate treatment.

Sheet metal workers make, install and maintain ductwork for heating and air-conditioning systems. Sheet metal workers can be found in the construction, automobile, aircraft and ship building industries. In the construction industry context, sheet metal workers often work in what is called the “dead” spaces or the spaces behind the walls and ceiling where spray-on asbestos insulation has been applied or where asbestos sheeting was installed in the past. As a result, sheet metal workers are at risk for asbestos exposure.

For purposes of this article, the teachers in this case will be referred to as E.T., C.G., and K.C. Recently, schoolteachers from a school in Philadelphia filed a class action lawsuit accusing the district of violating their Constitutional rights. E.T. and C.G. teach at a public school in Philadelphia, while K.C. retired in June this year. According to the lawsuit, the teachers claim that the school withheld their pay after they protested having to work in dangerous conditions.

Pharmaceutical and cosmetics giant Johnson & Johnson may be the sole defendant in an estimated 12,700 talcum powder asbestos cancer lawsuits after its main talc supplier recently filed for bankruptcy under the weight of thousands of such cases across the country. Imerys Talc USA, which had supplied Johnson & Johnson with talc sourced from overseas mines, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a Delaware federal court and was subsequently released as a defendant from a nearly two-month trial in California state court.