Pharmaceutical and cosmetics giant Johnson & Johnson was recently hit with another class action talc lawsuit, this time in Canada, over claims that a pair of its talc-based products are responsible for the plaintiffs cancer diagnosis which devastated her life. The lawsuit is just another in the estimated 14,000 Johnson & Johnson faces across the United States and now Canada, over claims that the company knowingly sold talcum powder products contaminated with deadly asbestos fibers.
The talcum powder lawsuit seeks to name the plaintiff representative of a class action lawsuit to recover $11 million in general and punitive damages for the harm suffered due to Johnson & Johnson’s negligence. Johnson & Johnson has thus far consistently denied any of its products contain asbestos fibers and have vigorously defended similar claims brought by plaintiffs in the United States alleging the same as the Canadian plaintiff.
According to the asbestos cancer lawsuit filed in a Calgary, Canada claims court, the plaintiff developed ovarian cancer after years of using Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower talcum powder products. Specifically, the plaintiff claims she used Johnson & Johnson’s Shower to Shower from the ages of 13 to 36 years old, later undergoing a series of surgeries and a hysterectomy in the 1990s, which she attributes to asbestos in the product.
The lawsuit states “The plaintiff claims that the defendant’s talc products were not safe for use, they were inherently dangerous, and increased the risk of ovarian cancer to women who applied it to their (private) area.The plaintiff claims the defendants have known for decades that their talc products contain known carcinogens that the World Health Organization has stated there is no healthy exposure to.”
Johnson & Johnson faces thousands of similar lawsuits in state and federal courts in the United States, some of which have produced substantial verdicts on behalf of plaintiffs who developed ovarian cancer or mesothelioma as a result of asbestos exposure from the products. To date, juries across the country have handed down over $5 billion in total compensation, including damages for pain and suffering, medical bills, and punitive damages, in talcum powder lawsuits.
In late 2018, revelations came to light when media outlets published reports outlining internal Johnson & Johnson company documents which show executives already knew the talc used in Baby Powder and Shower to Shower contained asbestos but did not provide any warning to consumers. More recently, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Justice have opened up their own federal investigations to determine what Johnson & Johnson knew about the risk of asbestos exposure and other serious health concerns relating to its talc-based products.
Nationwide Mesothelioma Lawyer
If you or a loved one were diagnosed with mesothelioma or a cancer caused by talcum powder products, contact our office to speak to one of our experienced 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.