(April 25, 2019) Johnson & Johnson settled three more talcum powder-mesothelioma lawsuits this week.  All three cases were in the midst of trials brought by women who claimed they were exposed to asbestos while using J&J’s Baby Powder products. Their lawsuit petitions said that exposure led to their developing mesothelioma. Though Johnson agreed to pay the women’s suits, a company spokesman claims they were a “one-off” (though they seem more like a “three-off”) and still denies there was ever asbestos in J&J talcum powder.

The settlements come as New Jersey-based giant Johnson & Johnson faces thousands of talcum powder mesothelioma lawsuits filed by plaintiffs who claim to have developed mesothelioma or ovarian cancer from the products.

The three latest settlements:

• Plaintiff Sharon Pipes reached a settlement as her Oklahoma jury had begun deliberating after a two-and-a-half-week trial.
• Plaintiff, Gail Koretoff reached a settlement agreement after jurors had deliberated for two days on her case.
• Plaintiff Jenny Shulman reached a settlement as her case was scheduled to begin trial this month. She was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma after using J&J’s talcum powder for feminine hygiene. An expert witness was set to testify about finding talc and asbestos in her ovarian and fallopian tissue. Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

All three plaintiffs had developed peritoneal mesothelioma and claimed to have used J&J’s talc powder products for long periods of time, mostly for feminine hygiene.

Johnson officials have denied rumors that J&J is shifting its talc powder litigation strategy. The company told Bloomberg News that these settlements were “one-off situations.”

J&J maintains its talcum powder products do not contain asbestos. Several juries have nevertheless found J&J responsible for some plaintiffs’ ovarian cancer and mesothelioma.

More than 20 talcum powder trials are scheduled this year in the U.S. Virtually all of the cases involve plaintiffs with a mesothelioma diagnosis.

In December 2018, J&J and Imerys SA, the company’s talc supplier, came to a $1.5-million settlement in a similar mesothelioma case. Imerys later declared bankruptcy which the company said was brought on by all the talc cancer litigation in the country.

Related

•  Talc Mesothelioma Verdict $29 Million against J&J

•  Talcum-Mesothelioma Cancer Lawsuit

•  Imerys seeks Bankruptcy over Talc Lawsuits

by Matthews & Associates