On October 27, 2016, in St. Louis, Missouri, Johnson & Johnson was defeated in the third consecutive trial regarding the carcinogenic properties of its hygiene products containing talcum powder. A $67.5 million jury verdict was handed down in this case to ovarian cancer victim Deborah Giannecchini, who used Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower Absorbent Body Powder® Talcum Powder for feminine hygiene for more than 40 years. Following this third loss, Johnson & Johnson is now trying to avoid any further trials in St. Louis.
Talcum powder particles from Johnson & Johnson’s hygiene products can travel up to women’s ovaries and then cultivate ovarian cancer. The awards in these last three ovarian cancer cases amounted to over $195 million. Previously, in February of 2016, $72 million was awarded to the family of Jacqueline Fox, who used Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower Absorbent Body Powder® Talcum Powder for daily feminine hygiene for 35 years. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2013 and died in 2015. In May of 2016, Gloria Ristesund was awarded $55 million. She also used Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder-based products on her genital area for decades and has ovarian cancer. Over 2,000 similar claims have been filed against Johnson & Johnson regarding the increased ovarian cancer risk for users of their talcum-based products.
As their defeats accumulate, Johnson & Johnson argues that jurors from St. Louis are unable to impartially carry out their duties. The St. Louis judge rejected Johnson & Johnson’s claims that because the plaintiffs and company are not from St. Louis, it is not an appropriate location for the cases.
Talc-based body care powders have been a well-known product and symbol of Johnson & Johnson for decades. Fortune shares that Fordham Law Professor Howard Erichson feels that Johnson & Johnson is driven in part by its “concerns about the impact of a settlement on its position in the market” (fortune.com/2016/11/07/jj-talcum-powder-lawsuits). Johnson & Johnson is prioritizing their brand and talc-based products’ public image, market value, and profitability above protecting the well-being of their many long-term customers. In response to this negligence, The Miller Firm has filed cases nationwide and is aggressively pursuing justice for victims of Johnson & Johnson’s deception about the dangers of talcum powder for feminine hygiene.
The Miller Firm is presently accepting clients who developed ovarian cancer after using Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder or Shower to Shower Absorbent Body Powder® Talcum Powder for feminine hygiene. If this has happened to you or a family member, please visit our Talcum Powder Lawsuit page for a complimentary consultation. You can also call us at 1-800-882-2525.
