Talcum Powder Mesothelioma Lawsuits

Mesothelioma Caused by Asbestos in Baby Powder

Johnson & Johnson has known for decades that its talcum powder and baby powder can be contaminated with asbestos, the carcinogenic mineral that causes mesothelioma. Yet it has repeatedly hid the testing and downplayed the asbestos risk in its products.

In nature, talcum and asbestos are often found near one another in geologic formations. During the talc mining process, there is always the possibility of asbestos contamination, but only a tiny fraction of talcum powder is tested for asbestos.[1]

Asbestos in talcum powder or baby powder is especially problematic due to the fact that it is easy to breathe in the powder during use. If the powder contains asbestos, it can put people’s lives at risk. Asbestos can cause pleural mesothelioma, a deadly cancer in the lining of the lungs. Asbestos also causes peritoneal mesothelioma in the lining of the abdomen, pericardial mesothelioma in the lining of the heart and testicular mesothelioma.

Johnson & Johnson Under Fire for Asbestos in its Talcum Powder

While Johnson & Johnson has steadfastly denied that its products have contained asbestos, an investigation by Reuters and its review of evidence used in mesothelioma lawsuits found that J&J knew from at least 1971 through the early 2000s that its popular baby powder and talcum powder products at least periodically contained deadly asbestos. [2] In fact, the earliest mentions that the J&J’s talcum powder may be contaminated with asbestos came in 1957. Testing of old bottles of talcum powder found in people’s homes, on eBay and even in the Johnson & Johnson corporate headquarters by labs hired by attorneys have turned up varying amounts of asbestos.

In a 2019 paper published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, researchers presented the case studies of 33 mesothelioma patients whose only substantial exposure to asbestos was through the use of talcum powder. Of the 33 patients, six individuals underwent tissue testing that showed fibers consistent with the type of asbestos found in cosmetic talc, but not in other common asbestos products like building supplies and insulation.[6]

What to Do if You Have Been Diagnosed With Mesothelioma

RPWB attorneys have spent their careers helping mesothelioma victims and their loved one receive compensation from companies that put their lives at risk. This includes men and women who developed mesothelioma as a result of using asbestos-contaminated products such as Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder and their other talcum powder products like Shower to Shower.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, we encourage you to contact us for a free- no obligation case review. Our lawyers represent people who have developed mesothelioma throughout the country, including those who were exposed to asbestos in Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder and its other talcum powder products like Shower to Shower.

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Why You Should Choose RPWB

RPWB is a 2026 Best Law Firm for its national work on mass torts and class action lawsuits by Best Lawyers, the oldest and most respected peer-reviewed legal publication in the country. Additionally, the firm is listed regionally for its work on personal injury, product liability and medical malpractice cases. Fifteen RPWB attorneys are on the Best Lawyers in America list. Four of the firm’s lawyers are recognized by Super Lawyers.

RPWB is a national plaintiff law firm with locations in Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Barnwell, Columbia and Aiken, South Carolina. We serve asbestos victims throughout the United States by coming to you in your time of need rather than having you come to one of our offices.

The backbone of our firm is helping mesothelioma victims during their greatest time of need. Since 1976, RPWB attorneys have helped thousands of people diagnosed with mesothelioma and other asbestos cancers in nearly every U.S state and territory. We take pride in helping hard-working Americans with aggressive representation and compassionate care. Our clients are not numbers to us. We relish the personal relationships we forge with asbestos victims and their families following a mesothelioma diagnosis.

Please contact us to begin your free, no-risk case review. For more information about our lawyers’ experience and qualifications, please refer to their individual biographies linked below.

Recent Talcum Powder Verdicts

As of early 2019, approximately 11,000 people have filed lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson related to its baby powder and other talcum powder products causing cancer. The vast majority of those are by women who have developed ovarian cancer, but some are also for mesothelioma.

In May 2019, a New York jury awarded $325 million to 66-year-old Donna Olson after she developed mesothelioma from using talcum powder for many years.

In May 2018, a Los Angeles jury awarded $25.7 million to Joanne Anderson, a women who developed mesothelioma after using the Johnson & Johnson talcum powder.

A few months earlier, in April 2018, Johnson & Johnson suffered its first talcum powder mesothelioma trial loss when a jury awarded $117 million to Steven Lenzo III and his wife. Lenzo, a retired banker, used Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder and Shower to Shower for more than two decades.

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