A jury has awarded $55 million to a woman who blamed Johnson & Johnson blamed her ovarian cancer on their talcum powder in the second such trial loss this year.
According to Bloomberg J&J is accused in more than 1, 000 lawsuits in state and federal courts of ignoring studies linking its Shower-to-Shower product and Johnson’s Baby Powder to ovarian cancer. Women contend the company knew the risk and failed to warn customers.
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In February, in the same St. Louis courthouse a jury awarded $72 million to the family of an Alabama woman who died of the disease after using J&J talcum powder for “hygienic” purposes for decades.
This time, the company handed the money to Gloria Ristesund, 62-year-old from South Dakota, another longtime customer. (Bloomberg her cancer is currently in remission after a hysterectomy.)
Bloomberg explains:
Ristesund’s lawsuit is the third to go to before a jury, preceded by the trial in the suit brought by the family of Jackie Fox, who died at 62. An earlier trial in federal court in South Dakota in 2013 ended with a jury finding that J&J was negligent while deciding not to award damages. The company faces another talc trial in the St. Louis court in September.Thousands of women or their family members contacted plaintiffs’ lawyers after the Fox verdict, attorney Jere Beasley said in March. His firm, one of several representing the Fox family and Ristesund, is reviewing more than 5, 000 potential claims, he said in an interview.
spokesperson Carol Goodrich told CNN Money: “Multiple scientific and regulatory reviews have determined that talc is safe for use in cosmetic products and the labeling on Johnson’s Baby Powder is appropriate.”
The company plans to appeal.
