Asbestos Cancer Victim’s Case Against Talc Maker Heads to Trial in Philadelphia

After numerous legal objections and obstruction by defense attorneys, an asbestos cancer victim’s trial against a talc-based product manufacturer appears poised to finally see a courtroom to determine what, if any, damages the plaintiff should receive as compensation for the defendant’s negligence. The high-profile case claims Johnson & Johnson’s Cashmere Bouquet talcum powder caused the plaintiff’s mesothelioma cancer because the product contained asbestos, a flaky white mineral once widely used in many industrial applications.

The asbestos cancer lawsuit, filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, alleges that the plaintiff used the defendant’s talc-based products daily from 1954 to 1970 and developed the deadly lung cancer as a direct result. According to reports, the case will be the first time a Pennsylvania court takes up hard scientific issues over causation between using cosmetic talc-products and developing mesothelioma from talcum powder use.

However, this is not the first talcum powder-asbestos cancer case to go all the way to trial, with juries in New Jersey, California, and New York awarding plaintiffs multi-million dollar verdicts to compensate them for the negligence of talcum powder suppliers and cosmetics companies. Other juries have hit Johnson & Johnson with massive plaintiffs verdicts finding the pharmaceutical and cosmetic company liable for victims’ ovarian cancer caused by the talcum powder itself.

Links Between Talcum Powder and Asbestos

Although talcum powder does not contain asbestos, the two minerals are often found together in underground deposits, creating the possibility that otherwise benign substances could be contaminated with deadly asbestos. While federal laws have cosmetic talcum powder to be asbestos free for many decades, there was a time before when thousands of people unknowingly suffered from asbestos exposure by using common, everyday products.

Asbestos cancer lawsuits allege companies using the mineral knew about the serious health risks it posed years before the federal government ever took steps to regulate use of the substance but did nothing to warn the public. Instead, these unscrupulous and powerful companies continued to manufacture and sell products containing asbestos as a means to increase company profits at the expense of innocent people.

Health consequences of asbestos exposure include lung conditions and the cancer, mesothelioma which commonly affects the thin lining of tissue surrounding the lungs or abdomen. Mesothelioma often takes decades to develop in victims after exposure, making a timely diagnosis more difficult and thus eliminating many otherwise viable treatment options. By filing mesothelioma cancer lawsuits, victims can hold wrongdoers responsible for their diagnosis and recover the compensation necessary to treat the aggressive disease and hopefully live a more comfortable and dignified life.

Nationwide Mesothelioma Lawyer

If you or a loved one were diagnosed with mesothelioma, contact our office to speak to one of our experienced nationwide 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.