$1.5B Talcum Powder Verdict Returned by Baltimore Jury, In Latest Blow to J&J

Verdict includes $1 billion in punitive damages meant to punish Johnson & Johnson for failing to disclose the risks associated with asbestos in talcum power products sold in recent decades.

Johnson & Johnson has suffered its third, and largest, talcum powder cancer trial loss this month, with a Baltimore jury ordering the manufacturer to pay $1.5 billion to a woman diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma after years of Baby Powder use.

The trial involved claims filed by Cherie Craft, who says her cancer diagnosis came because the company’s products are contaminated with asbestos. The lawsuit accused Johnson & Johnson of failing to warn consumers about the cancer risks associated with its talcum powder products.

Craft was one of more than 90,000 individuals who have filed Baby Powder lawsuits and Shower-to-Shower lawsuits in state and federal courts nationwide, each involving similar claims alleging women developed mesothelioma, ovarian cancer or other reproductive malignancies after prolonged application of the powder to their genitals as a form of odor and moisture control.

The litigation was delayed for years as Johnson & Johnson tried to resolve it through failed bankruptcy attempts which were rejected by federal judges across the country. Since then, the manufacturer has been hit by a string of multi-million dollar verdicts by juries who are holding the company liable for its customers’ cancer injuries.

Mesothelioma Risks

For more than a decade, Johnson & Johnson has faced claims that its talc products were contaminated with asbestos, resulting in at least one major recall. Asbestos exposure, even at low levels, is known to cause serious and often life-threatening health conditions, including lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Asbestos exposure is the sole known cause of mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer that develops in the lining of the lungs or abdomen. Mesothelioma is particularly dangerous because of its long latency period, with symptoms often not appearing until decades after exposure, by which time the cancer is typically at an advanced stage with limited treatment options.

Craft’s lawsuit indicated she was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma in the lining of her abdomen in January 2024. There is no cure for the fatal disease.

The Circuit County Court of Baltimore jury agreed with Craft’s claims that Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder products were the direct result of her cancer diagnosis, ordering the manufacturer to pay $59.84 million in compensatory damages, and another $1 billion in punitive damages. The jury also ordered Pecos River Talc, a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, to pay another $500 million.

Johnson & Johnson has vowed to appeal the verdict, as it has all court victories against it so far.

There have been three such victories this month alone. Last week, a Minnesota jury ordered the company to pay $65.5 million to Anna Jean Houghton Carley, who also said she developed mesothelioma because of talcum powder use. On December 12, a California jury awarded $40 million to two women who filed talcum powder cancer lawsuits after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

However, the company’s woes have stretched out for months now. In late October, a Florida jury ordered the company to pay Irene Casaretto $20 million for the death of her husband, who died of mesothelioma. Two weeks earlier, a California jury hit Johnson & Johnson with a $966 million verdict in favor of the family of another woman, Mae Moore, who died due to similar circumstances.

Federal Talcum Powder Lawsuit Bellwether Trials

While the Baltimore verdict was reached in Maryland state court, all federal talcum powder cancer lawsuits have been consolidated into a multidistrict litigation (MDL) in the District of New Jersey, where they are currently being overseen by U.S. District Judge Michael Shipp for coordinated discovery and pretrial proceedings.

The first federal bellwether trial is expected to begin early next year, and will involve a talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuit brought by Carter Judkins, who indicates she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in December 2016, after more than 30 years of using Johnson’s Baby Powder as part of her daily routine.

While the outcome of the bellwether trials will have no binding effect on other claims, they will be used to gauge how juries may respond to evidence and testimony that will be repeated throughout the litigation. What those juries decide could help determine the potential size of any talcum powder cancer settlement payouts Johnson & Johnson ultimately agrees to pay to resolve future claims.

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