Following significant jury verdicts in favor of mesothelioma and ovarian cancer victims, iconic cosmetic company Avon has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company’s court filings assert that it expects that there will be an increasing number of personal injury lawsuits filed against it and that it no longer has “sufficient liquidity to litigate and/or settle” claims.
Avon Faces Hundreds of Talc Lawsuits Filed by Mesothelioma and Ovarian Cancer Victims
Avon is one of many consumer brands and personal care companies whose talcum powder products have been accused of having been contaminated with asbestos leading to consumers being diagnosed with ovarian cancer and malignant mesothelioma. Once known for its army of Avon ladies, selling its products door-to-door in their neighborhoods, the company’s reputation has significantly shifted in the face of headlines about multi-million-dollar asbestos verdicts.
The company’s bankruptcy filing comes days after a Chicago jury ordered Avon to pay $24.4 million to a janitor who was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma after having worked in the company’s Morton Grove, Illinois factory. This verdict is one among many; in another case, a California jury awarded a 76-year-old woman diagnosed with the disease an eye-popping $52.1 million in damages.
Company Says It Will Address Talc Mesothelioma and Ovarian Cancer Claims
The company’s bankruptcy filing indicates that it will address its liabilities to malignant mesothelioma and ovarian cancer victims who blame its talc for their illness “in an orderly manner.” Avon Products Inc. is a holding company based in the United States but its operations are no longer based here. The company was acquired in 2020 by a Brazilian company that agreed to provide up to $43 million in liquidity for the company’s obligations.
An Avon representative indicated that the bankruptcy filing and proposed sale of the company’s non-US operations will allow it to address its talc liabilities.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or ovarian cancer following the use of Avon products, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net are here to help. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608.
