Feb. 2016: Jacqueline Fox, $72 Million Talcum Powder Lawsuit Verdict

In Fall 2015, Jacqueline Fox, an Alabama native, passed away from ovarian cancer after over 35 years of using Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder and Shower to Shower body powder containing the talc mineral. While studies have varied in linking asbestos-free talc to causing a fatal disease, Fox’s pathologist determined that her ovaries developed cancer from the talc powder. Fox filed a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson in 2014, and two years later a Missouri jury awarded Fox’s family $10 million in compensatory and $62 million in punitive damages.

Johnson & Johnson is planning to appeal the jury’s verdict.

May 2016: Gloria Ristesund, $55 Million Talcum Powder Lawsuit Verdict

Oct. 2016: Deborah Giannecchini, $70 Million Talcum Powder Lawsuit Verdict

In 2012, Deborah Giannecchini of Modesto, California was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer. She had used Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder for over 40 years but did not consider that the talc in the Baby Powder could be cause of her cancer until her daughter saw a commercial about the talcum powder lawsuits.

During her cancer treatment, doctors had discovered talc in her ovaries. After learning about the link between talc and ovarian cancer, Giannecchini filed a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson, accusing the company of negligent marketing of its talc products.

In October 2016, a St. Louis jury awarded $67.5 million in punitive damages and over $2.5 million in compensatory damages to Giannecchini.

May 2017: Lois Slemp, $110 Million Talcum Powder Lawsuit Verdict

Lois Slemp, of Virginia, has been using the company’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower products daily for 40 years. She filed a lawsuit against J&J after she developed ovarian cancer in 2012.

She was awarded $66 million from Johnson & Johsnon, $39 million from J&J Consumer and $50,000 from Imerys, J&J talc supplier, in punitive damages, as well as $5.4 million in compensatory damages and ascribed 99 percent of the fault to the two J&J entities and 1 percent of the fault to Imerys.

Four major cases tried in Missouri state courts ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, totaling more than $300 million. Johnson & Johnson has said that it will appeal these decisions.

In 2016 alone, Johnson and Johnson paid over $190 million in Talcum Powder Lawsuit awards

Also in 2016, in Johnson & Johnson’s home state of New Jersey, a judge recently dismissed two similar cases, ruling that the evidence linking talcum powder to ovarian cancer was not reliable.

Over 1,500 talcum powder lawsuits have been filed in St. Louis and New Jersey courts. The Missouri Supreme Court issued a ruling in January 2017 to allow the trials to continue in St. Louis courts, with the first trial scheduled for February 6.

Talcum powder lawsuits will also go to court in California. On January 30, 2017, a California state judge scheduled the first California talcum powder lawsuit trial for July 2017, which ended in August 2017 with a $417M verdict in favor of the plaintiff. This verdict was subsequently overturned and a new trial was granted. Plaintiffs are appealing this decision. Hundreds of other cases are awaiting trials in California court.