
A woman who claimed she got ovarian cancer from Johnson & Johnson baby powder and won a huge verdict just had it thrown out.
A California judge has thrown out a $417 million verdict that had been awarded against Johnson & Johnson in a lawsuit by a woman who claimed she got ovarian cancer from their talc-based products like Johnson’s Baby Powder. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maren Nelson said that the trial in August that led to the verdict had errors and insufficient evidence, and granted J&J’s request for a new trial.
The jury had awarded Eva Echeverria $70 million in compensatory damages, and $347 million in punitive damages. Mark Robinson, who represented the woman, said they would appeal. “We will continue to fight on behalf of all women who have been impacted by this dangerous product,” he said according to Reuters.
J&J issued a statement saying they were pleased with the decision. The company has been beset by multiple expensive lawsuit alleging that they failed to sufficiently warn customers about the risks of their products. J&J denies these allegations.
“30 years of studies by medical experts around the world, science, research and clinical evidence continues to support the safety of cosmetic talc,” a statement from J&J in May 2016 reads. “We first offered JOHNSON’S Baby Powder as a product choice more than 100 years ago because we were confident in the safety of talc. And today, we continue to manufacture and sell JOHNSON’S Baby Powder with talc because we remain completely confident in its safety. We remain committed to safety and innovation, and will continue to work hard to exceed consumer expectations and evolving product preferences. This commitment to innovation led to the introduction of JOHNSON’S Baby Powder made with cornstarch as an additional option for consumers nearly forty years ago.”
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