Landmark Verdict Reached in Talcum Powder Lawsuits

On Monday, August 21, a landmark verdict was reached in a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson in California. The jury, agreeing that Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder caused Eva Echeverria to develop terminal ovarian cancer, ruled in favor of the plaintiff, awarding Echeverria $417 million.

This particular case acted as a bellwether for similar cases in the Johnson & Johnson consolidated talcum powder lawsuits in California. The California state court verdict is a milestone for not only other talcum powder lawsuits but for many other individuals taking on the corporate giant, Johnson & Johnson because it indicates there may be a higher chance for plaintiffs in similar cases to win.

The verdict surpasses another impressive benchmark verdict brought against Johnson & Johnson's talcum powder earlier this year – when a St. Louis, Missouri jury awarded $110.5 million to a woman who had also developed ovarian cancer. Last year, trials in the St. Louis court resulted in various verdicts of $72 million, $70.1 million and $55 million in damages to plaintiffs who had suffered similar injuries. In 2016, Johnson & Johnson was hit with four out of the five biggest product liability verdicts in the country. In total, more than 1,000 talcum powder lawsuits have been filed against Johnson & Johnson's talcum products thus far.

In addition to the talcum powder lawsuits, Johnson & Johnson is facing lawsuits for a number of other pharmaceutical drugs and products, including Xarelto, a blood thinner; Risperdal, an antipsychotic drug; hip implants; and transvaginal mesh. In 2017, the company will face 17 different trials alleging one of its products caused injuries or death. Many of the lawsuits are ongoing.

At TorHoerman Law, we spend a significant part of our practice going after big pharmaceutical companies and manufacturers that don't adequately warn of the risks of prescription medicines or medical devices that they put on the market. You can keep up-to-date with all the ways we are challenging big pharma by checking out our current litigations.