Johnson & Johnson was ordered by a United States jury on Monday to pay $55 million to a woman who filed a lawsuit against the company over their talc powder. The lawsuit claims she developed ovarian cancer when she used the talc-powder products for feminine hygiene.
According to Reuters, the verdict is the second straight loss for the company, which is facing 1,200 more lawsuits. Most of the lawsuits accuse the company of not warning consumers about their talc-based products' cancer risks. The verdict is said to be appealed by Johnson & Johnson.
The verdict was given following a three-week trial in the Missouri state court. Jurors deliberated for a day before returning with a verdict for the case of Gloria Ristesund. She was then awarded $5 million in compensatory damages and $50 million in punitive damages.
Johnson & Johnson spokeswoman Carol Goodrich said in a statement that the verdict contradicted the company's 30 years of research that supported the safety of their cosmetic talc. The company will be arguing in their appeal that their products are safe, The Guardian reported.
Ristesund said that she used the talc-based powder products of Johnson & Johnson on her genitals for decades. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and had to undergo a hysterectomy and related surgeries. Her cancer is now lessening.
Jere Beasley, who represents Ristesund, said in a statement that his client was satisfied with the verdict and that the jury's decision should end the litigation as well as let Johnson & Johnson compel with the settlement, Channel News Asia reported.
The latest verdict comes after a jury awarded $72 million to another case, which was from the same court. This was back in February and it concerns the family of a woman who died from ovarian cancer after years of using talc powder also for feminine hygiene.
