Johnson & Johnson Ordered to Pay Over $6Billion Dollars in Damages

A St. Louis jury has awarded nearly $USD 4.7 billion ($6.35 billion Australian) in damages to 22 women and their families after they claimed asbestos in Johnson & Johnson talcum powder caused their ovarian cancer.

Jurors on Thursday awarded the women $4.14 billion in punitive damages and $550 million in compensatory damages after a six-week trial in St. Louis Circuit Court reports 9 news.

Plaintiffs’ lawyer Mark Lanier told the jurors during closing arguments Wednesday that Johnson & Johnson knew its products contained asbestos and didn’t warn consumers.

Johnson & Johnson spokeswoman Carol Goodrich said in a statement that the company believes its products are safe and will pursue “all available appellate remedies.”

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports this case differed from five previous lawsuits against the company because it focused on claims that asbestos allegedly found in the baby powder caused the cancer.

Plaintiffs’ lawyer Mark Lanier told the jurors during closing arguments Wednesday that they were the first to see documents showing that Johnson & Johnson knew its products contained asbestos and didn’t warn consumers.

Johnson & Johnson said in a statement it was disappointed in the verdict but would not comment further until the punitive damages are announced.

Share your comments below

17 Comments

- - meedee said
  - 27 Sep 2022
    9:40 am
So very scary. Wonder how many people died never knowing it was the talcum powder that caused their issue.

- - Blossom said
  - 17 Sep 2018
    9:41 pm
Johnson & Johnson may not have known the danger of asbestos when they put it in their talcum powder. The same applies to the asbestos mines including those in WA and the asbestos being used in buildings. I wonder how many other talcum powders – not promoted solely for babies may have had asbestos in them. A few years ago I noticed that one talcum powder was labelled aluminium free. Obviously that has been a problem at some point too.

- - Ellen said
  - 21 Aug 2018
    3:35 am
I’m stunned that Johnson & Johnson knew its products contained asbestos and didn’t warn consumers !! I’ve always loved the smell of their products. Flip, I even used the body lotion for myself some years !

- - curlytops said
  - 22 Jul 2018
    10:22 am
How can they sell it knowing that it contains a asbestos?

- - mom74005 said
  - 18 Jul 2018
    6:20 pm
It’s so terrible, no amount of money would make up for the damage asbestos does.

- - tessie said
  - 17 Jul 2018
    1:18 pm
I always used this product, so did my Mum and my Nanna. Looks like we were lucky. It’s a wonder it hasn’t been taken off the shelves if it contains asbestos or have they since changed the ingredients?

- - sars_angelchik said
  - 17 Jul 2018
    12:55 pm
Oh my word! I knew it wasn’t good to use this on babies due to them being able to inhale it, but had no idea it had ASBESTOS in it- how has this been allowed to go on in this day and age?

- - mom111059 said
  - 16 Jul 2018
    8:43 pm
Why would they continue to sell a product known to cause cancer. What money grabbing executives made that decision.

- - ella12 said
  - 16 Jul 2018
    3:56 pm
My goodness, this is just crazy.

- - rovermum said
  - 16 Jul 2018
    10:56 am
Wow, I had no idea it was to this extent. I imagine then this may be the tip of the iceberg for their accountability and they must pay damages to all those who have suffered. This is people’s lives.

- - BellaB said
  - 16 Jul 2018
    9:41 am
God, if that’s true then this is only the start.

- - becstalou said
  - 15 Jul 2018
    10:09 am
I’m confused by this because if the products being sold in Australia were known to be unsafe they would have to be pulled from the shelves so is this some of their products were contaminated with asbestos and they found out but kept quiet or is it asbestos is put in the products?

- - mom90758 said
  - 14 Jul 2018
    5:47 pm
So many cases against J&J lately. And I expect more to come after these big pay-outs.
- mom93821 replied
  
  15 Jul 2018 , 6:23 am
  The payout is massive and an interesting issue to watch.
- - mom93821 said
  - 14 Jul 2018
    5:09 am
This is quite horrifying and worth looking into further!

- - mom265671 said
  - 14 Jul 2018
    12:04 am
How are they still allowed to sell this after so many won lawsuits

- - musicmum said
  - 13 Jul 2018
    8:37 pm
And people still trust this company and buy their products!!