Talcum Powder Ovarian Cancer Lawsuits

Two class action lawsuits brought against Johnson & Johnson suggest that the pharmaceutical giant was privy to a link between its talcum powder products and the development of ovarian cancer in women for decades. The first case to go to trial returned a judgement that sets a foreboding tone for Johnson & Johnson as a jury has awarded the plaintiff with over $72 million. If you are a woman in the Chicago area who has developed ovarian cancer or have lost a loved one due to this disease, contact the Chicago ovarian cancer attorneys of Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers to learn more about how this case and the ones to follow will impact your rights.

There are over 1,200 lawsuits being brought against Johnson & Johnson at the moment due to an established link between its baby power and Shower to Shower products and the development of ovarian cancer in the women using these products. The Shower to Shower product was advertised as an odor control agent since 1988 while Johnson & Johnson baby power has long been used to keep women’s genitals dry and eliminate discomfort. Internal documents presented at the trial revealed that Johnson & Johnson had suspected a link between the use of their product and cancer, but refrained from placing a warning on product packaging.

According to the jury foreman, that warning would have been all that was needed to exonerate Johnson & Johnson and its willingness to hide the information from the public was worthy of $62 in punitive damages. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a woman who died from ovarian cancer that her family felt was linked to her long term use of Johnson & Johnson talcum powder products.

While this is the first trial that has resulted in the awarding of financial compensation to a victim, Johnson & Johnson lost in an earlier trial heard in 2013 where the jury found that its talc-based body powder did indeed cause a woman to develop ovarian cancer. Despite establishing the link, the jury failed to award the victim damages. It would not be surprising at this point if Johnson & Johnson attempted to settle with the remaining plaintiffs in order to mitigate its damages.

Despite both rulings and the presentation of documents that suggest Johnson & Johnson was aware of the cancer link for over 20 years, officials within the company are still denying the link. Their claim is that there is not sufficient evidence to link their products with the victims’ ovarian cancers and that the cause remains unknown.

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers is currently handling talcum powder lawsuits on behalf of women in Chicago, so if you or a loved one has developed ovarian cancer while using Johnson & Johnson baby powder or Shower to Shower, contact us today to learn more about your legal options and whether it would be in your best interests to join the class action lawsuit. Our Chicago medical product liability attorneys have decades of experience handling these types of cases and have helped thousands of clients receive the compensation they were entitled to. If we are unable to do the same on your behalf, our services will be free of charge.

For a comprehensive explanation of the medical and legal concepts involved with these cases vist our Talcum Powder FAQ's.