A California jury hit Johnson & Johnson and other companies with a $25.75 million verdict, saying the company was negligent and did not caution consumers about possible health risks from its Baby Powder. The couple who brought the suit, Joanne and Gary Anderson, allege that she developed a kind of cancer after making use of the company's Baby Powder.
The jury returned a $21.75 million compensatory damage amount on Tuesday and, after deliberating on punitive damages, came back with an additional $4 million.
In Los Angeles Superior Court, the Oregon woman said she was a devoted user of the powder in her shoes and on her hands for years. She also used it when her children were younger to take care of diaper rash. Experts in court estimated that she used the powder more than 10,000 times.
Doctors diagnosed Anderson with pleural mesothelioma, a cancer that develops in the lining of the lungs that is often linked to exposure to asbestos.
The jury said that J&J was liable for two-thirds of the compensatory amount and 100% of the punitive amount. Other companies named in the lawsuit, including Honeywell/Bendix, Borg Warner and Fel-Pro -- are on the hook for the rest.
Anderson said she was also exposed to asbestos when she watched her husband work on his car.
"We are extremely pleased that our clients have found a measure of justice, although nothing can truly compensate them for what they have lost. Our clients are hopeful that this verdict can further bring light to this unbelievable example of corporate misconduct," one of the plaintiffs' lawyers, David Greenstone, said in a news release.
Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder "has contained asbestos for decades," he said. "People need to know about this."
Johnson & Johnson said it will continue to fight these cases in court.
