For decades, consumers relied on talc powder for a variety of health and beauty purposes. Companies even marketed talc powder as a product safe for infants in some cases. People used talc or baby powder to control odor and moisture in intimate areas. They might have applied it in a baby’s diaper or in an adult’s underwear as part of their daily hygiene practices. Unfortunately, talc naturally occurs in close proximity to asbestos in many locations.
Contaminated talc powder could be the reason that some people develop aggressive cancers, including mesothelioma. People sickened by contaminated talc powder have won significant civil lawsuits in recent years, including a recent case on the East Coast that led to a $42 million verdict.
Some companies exposed people to asbestos
Many businesses that produce talc-based products knew that there was a risk of contamination. Major health and beauty companies, including Johnson & Johnson, made strategic decisions not to test for asbestos or disclose the possible presence of a carcinogen on product labels. Those operational decisions have led to significant lawsuits in recent years.
Chemical testing of talc products has uncovered evidence of asbestos contamination. Consumers who used talc powder for years could potentially develop cancer due to their unintentional exposure to asbestos.
Juries now recognize how contaminated health and beauty products could cause cancer. A lawsuit brought against Johnson & Johnson recently over contaminated talc powder led to a $42.6 million jury verdict. While Johnson & Johnson is likely to appeal, as the organization has done in many cases resulting in unfavorable verdicts, the plaintiffs may eventually receive compensation for the harm caused by a product they thought they could trust.
Talc powder may be the reason that people develop mesothelioma or certain reproductive cancers. Pursuing a talc powder lawsuit is a reasonable response to a shocking, related cancer diagnosis.