Talc Supplier Settles Claims with 22 Plaintiffs on Eve of Trial in Missouri

A talc supplier for pharmaceutical and cosmetics giant Johnson & Johnson recently agreed to a settlement with 22 plaintiffs in an upcoming talcum powder cancer trial over allegations that the defendants’ talc-based products caused the victims’ cancer diagnosis. As part of the agreement, Imerys Talc SA will pay a total of at least $5 million, according to reports, to the plaintiffs to resolve the company’s liability in the case also involving Johnson & Johnson.

The settlement comes right before the start of a talcum powder cancer trial in U.S. District Court in Missouri pitting ovarian cancer victims who claim their decades of using talcum powder sold by Johnson & Johnson and sourced by Imerys caused their condition. With Imerys’ settlement, Johnson & Johnson remains the only defendant left in these particular, cases but the two parties face several thousand other lawsuits over claims that their talcum powder products caused cancer, including mesothelioma.

Johnson & Johnson faces an estimated 9,000 cases across the country, mostly in New Jersey, California, and Missouri, over claims that its talcum powder products sold to consumers were contaminated with asbestos. While talc itself does not contain asbestos and is not known to be carcinogenic, both naturally occurring minerals are found in deposits side by side one another and can lead to contamination.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer commonly affecting the thin linings of tissue surrounding vital organs like the heart, lungs, and abdomen and is directly linked to exposure to asbestos, which was once commonly used in a variety of industrial, commercial, and military applications. Although federal laws have required talcum powder to be asbestos-free for several years, plaintiffs in talcum powder asbestos cancer lawsuits assert that companies like Johnson & Johnson and Imerys have known for decades that their talc is contaminated with asbestos.

Recently, jurors in New Jersey handed down substantial verdicts in favor of plaintiffs in asbestos talcum powder lawsuits also involving Johnson & Johnson and Imerys Talc America. In April 2018, jurors awarded $117 million to a banker who claimed his asbestos-linked cancer was tied to baby powder use. In May, another New Jersey jury handed down over $25 million to plaintiffs alleging use of Johnson & Johnson talc products caused their mesothelioma diagnosis.

If talc suppliers do not take special precautions to remove carcinogens from the mineral, innocent people can suffer serious injuries and may therefore have the legal right to file asbestos cancer lawsuits against these companies. Talcum powder asbestos cancer lawsuits can help recover much needed compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and the pain and suffering of living with the disease.

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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.