First Talcum Powder Asbestos Cancer Lawsuit Trial in New Jersey Begins

Jury selection has begun in the first talcom powder asbestos cancer lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson in New Jersey, with opening statements expected to be made a few days later. Legal experts across the country will be keeping an eye on the case after a California jury sided with the defense in a similar case alleging that Johnson & Johnson’s asbestos-contaminated talcum powder products caused a female plaintiff’s mesothelioma cancer.

According to the mesothelioma cancer lawsuit, filed in Middlesex County Superior Court, the plaintiff developed mesothelioma as a result of using Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based products, Baby Powder and Shower to Shower. The plaintiff claims that she inhaled asbestos fibers from the contaminated products produced by the defendants and that they knew the products to contain asbestos but chose not to warn users.

In their response to the lawsuit, the defendants denied liability for the plaintiff’s injuries, claiming that faulty tests on their products revealed false positives showing the presence of asbestos. Johnson & Johnson recently had a successful defense of a similar asbestos talcum powder cancer claim in California and the plaintiff’s attorney secured a substantial $22 million jury verdict against Imerys Talc America, Inc. and Vanderbilt Minerals, LLC in California state court.

Does Talcum Powder Contain Asbestos?

The plaintiff’s lawsuit and other claims against talc manufacturers allege that cosmetics companies and their suppliers manufactured products with materials sourced from asbestos-contaminated mines. Asbestos is a naturally forming mineral that can develop beside other industrial minerals like talc and vermiculite but can be processed to remove the carcinogenic material and be made fit for consumer products.

Many of the talcum powder asbestos lawsuits allege that defendants knew their products were developed from contaminated sources but did nothing to amend their manufacturing processes and insisted their products were safe. While federal laws have regulated asbestos use for decades, thousands of innocent people develop mesothelioma every year from unknowing exposure to asbestos-tainted products or through secondhand exposure.

Although each state has its own evidentiary standards needed to prove that defendants are responsible for the injuries to plaintiffs, the law generally holds that companies must take reasonable steps to ensure they do not place a dangerou product in the stream of commerce. In the California lawsuit against Imerys Talc, the jury awarded almost $18 million in punitive damages to punish the defendant, finding that they acted with malicious intent by knowingly selling talcum powder and talc-based products that contained asbestos. Imerys has already settled several similar lawsuit and is in litigation against dozens of other claimants across the country who claim their serious medical conditions, including mesothelioma and ovarian cancer, were caused by carcinogenic minerals.

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.

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