Skip to content
Mesothelioma.net
phone iconCall1-800-692-8608 chat icon Chat 24/7 Live Chat
Menu
  • Malignant Mesothelioma
    • About Mesothelioma
      • How to Survive Mesothelioma
      • 100 Questions & Answers about Mesothelioma (Free Book)
      • Symptoms
      • Diagnosis
      • Prognosis
      • Life Expectancy
    • Types
      • Pleural
      • Peritoneal
      • Epithelioid
      • Sarcomatoid
      • Biphasic
    • Stages
      • Stage 1
      • Stage 2
      • Stage 3
      • Stage 4
    • Additional Information
      • Causes
      • Asbestos and Its Dangers
      • Facts
      • Support
      • Financial Compensation
      • FREE Mesothelioma Packet
  • Treatment
    • Treatment Options
      • Surgery
      • Chemotherapy
      • Radiation Therapy
      • Multimodal Therapy
      • Medications
      • Palliative Treatment
    • Find Top Doctors
      • Doctors
      • Treatment Centers
      • Treatment & Doctors Near You
      • New Treatments
      • Care Providers
      • Clinical Trials
      • Costs
  • Asbestos Trusts
  • Compensation
  • Veteran Assistance
    • Mesothelioma and Veterans
      • VA Claims for Mesothelioma
      • Vietnam Veterans
    • Military Branches and Asbestos
      • Navy Veterans
      • Navy Ships
      • Marine Corps Veterans
      • Army Veterans
      • Air Force Veterans
      • U.S. Coast Guard
  • Surviving Mesothelioma
  • About Us / Contact

Judge in Johnson & Johnson Mesothelioma Case Rebukes Company’s Attorney

Published on September 05, 2019

Mesothelioma victims are often torn about whether to pursue legal action against the companies responsible for their illness: the idea of  battling giant asbestos companies can be intimidating. But those affected by asbestos can take heart from what happened this week in a New Jersey courtroom. Middlesex County Superior Court Judge Anna C. Viscomi struck a Johnson & Johnson attorney’s entire closing argument after she had repeatedly suggested that four mesothelioma victims’ claims were based on “lawsuit fiction.” The judge went on to tell the attorney to stop the outbursts, and indicated that “to leave in only the appropriate comments on the record would be impossible.”

New Jersey case is one of thousands filed against Johnson & Johnson

The lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson was brought by four mesothelioma victims — 41-year-old D’Angela McNeill-George, 46-year-old Will Ronning, 65-year-old Douglas Barden and 57-year-old David Etheridge — who all claim that the consumer giant was aware that their popular talcum powder products were contaminated with asbestos, but chose to hide it rather than eliminate it. They blame the company for their fatal illness, as have thousands of people diagnosed with ovarian cancer or mesothelioma who have lawsuits pending.

Though Johnson & Johnson continues to argue against being held responsible for consumers’ mesothelioma and ovarian cancer diagnoses, there have been several verdicts against them, and the company has been ordered to pay billions of dollars in compensation to victims.

Attorney’s arguments evoke accusations of unprofessional conduct

In response to Johnson & Johnson’s attorney suggesting that the mesothelioma victims had “created” evidence to back their claims, the victims’ attorney accused her of having violated professional conduct rules, and the judge apparently agreed, striking the argument in its entirety and saying,“What could have been a good closing statement commenting on the evidence was replete with conduct this court has already warned you about.”

The Johnson & Johnson attorney argued that the victims mesothelioma was “spontaneous” rather than caused by exposure to asbestos, a suggestion that the victims’ attorney pointed out was not based on science. He went on to say that the company had specifically avoided using the word “asbestos” in its internal documents, replacing it with less inflammatory terms, and that calling their disease spontaneous “steals from them.” He went on to say, “They will all die early. They know the truth of this disease, and it could have been prevented.”

Mesothelioma is a challenging condition cause by exposure to asbestos, and in almost every case, that exposure could have been avoided if companies had made protecting people a priority. For information on the resources available to victims of asbestos and their family, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608.

FREE Mesothelioma Packet

Written by Terri Oppenheimer

Terri Heimann Oppenheimer
Terri Heimann Oppenheimer is the head writer of our Mesothelioma.net news blog. She graduated from the College of William and Mary with a degree in English. Terri believes that knowledge is power and she is committed to sharing news about the impact of mesothelioma, the latest research and medical breakthroughs, and victims’ stories.

Learn more about and contact Terri
  • Malignant Mesothelioma
    • Treatment
    • Asbestos Trusts
  • Compensation
    • Veteran Assistance
    • Surviving Mesothelioma
  • FREE Mesothelioma Packet
    • Mesothelioma News
    • About Us / Contact
  • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Editorial Guidelines and Standards
This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation. Click to verify. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.
The information provided by Mesothelioma.net is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Mesothelioma.net

5430 LBJ Freeway Suite 1200
Dallas, Texas 75240

Serving mesothelioma victims nationwide

1-800-692-8608

  • facebook
  • twitter
© 2022 Mesothelioma.net