Jury awards US$25 m in Johnson & Johnson baby powder lawsuit
LOS ANGELES, United States (AP) — A Southern California jury has ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay more than US$25 million to a woman who claimed in a lawsuit that she developed cancer by using the company’s talc-based baby powder.
Jurors yesterday awarded US$4 million in punitive damages after finding that Johnson & Johnson acted with “malice, oppression or fraud”.
A day earlier the panel ordered US$21.7 million in compensatory damages for plaintiff Joanne Anderson. She suffers from mesothelioma, a lung cancer linked to asbestos exposure.
Johnson & Johnson says it’s disappointed in the decision and will appeal.
The 66-year-old Anderson alleged Johnson & Johnson failed to adequately warn consumers that its powder contains asbestos and could cause cancer — charges the company denies.
Johnson & Johnson faces numerous lawsuits over the cancer claim.
