Over the last several years, patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma and ovarian cancer have been stunned to learn that asbestos-contaminated talc may have caused their fatal illnesses. Over 50,000 of these victims have taken legal action, leading to Johnson & Johnson pursuing a controversial bankruptcy strategy that put the claims on hold for years. In recent days, claims have begun to be heard again, and this week the case of Patricia Matthey began to be heard in a Florida court.
Long Wait for Mesothelioma and Ovarian Cancer Victims Seeking Justice
As more and more mesothelioma and ovarian cancer victims linked their lifelong use of Johnson & Johnson’s product to their illness and sought justice, the company began facing juries that awarded significant verdicts to those affected. A St. Louis jury awarded $4.7 billion to 22 women, and though that verdict was later reduced on appeal, the award included $700 million in punitive damages, signaling consumers’ anger against the corporate giant.
To protect themselves against the rising tide, the company established a subsidiary to hold its asbestos liabilities and then filed for bankruptcy on its behalf, an action that effectively halted all of the mesothelioma and ovarian cancer claims. But as the bankruptcy claim has faced objections, the cases have begun to be heard again, and in 2023 a 24-year-old’s mesothelioma claim was heard by a California jury that awarded the victim $18.8 million.
Family of Florida Ovarian Cancer Victim Seeks Justice
The latest case to be heard involves Patricia Matthey, a dance aerobics instructor who died of ovarian cancer at the age of 72 after using Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder. While Johnson & Johnson argues that Matthey had genetic risks for cancer, her family argues that she had used the product for “the entirety of her adult life” in the exact way that the company had marketed its product to women — as a hygienic product for use in the genital area.
Though Johnson & Johnson has argued against a link between their product and mesothelioma or ovarian cancer, the victims argue that the company suppressed scientific studies that they were aware of that linked talc to cancer. Mrs. Matthey’s case is currently being heard in a Sarasota County, Florida court.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net are here to help. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608 for more information.
