Jury Begins Deliberations In California Johnson & Johnson Mesothelioma Trial

Monday saw closing arguments in a California courtroom, where the jury is being asked to decide whether asbestos in Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder is responsible for a woman’s mesothelioma diagnosis. The Oakland, California trial is just the latest in a series that accuses the company of knowing that its iconic and trusted product was contaminated by the carcinogenic material, yet choosing to do nothing to protect the public against its dangers.

Internal Documents Citing Asbestos in Baby Powder At Center of Trial

The mesothelioma lawsuit has seen many of the same arguments and evidence that have been made in the past: attorneys for Johnson & Johnson have maintained that there is no scientific proof that asbestos was in their product, while attorneys for Teresa E. Leavitt, who used the product from the time she was an infant in the 1960s and was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, have pointed to internal corporate documents that confirmed both its presence and the company’s concerns about future liability.

Victim’s Attorneys Ask for Millions in Compensation for Mesothelioma Diagnosis

Monday’s closing arguments in the mesothelioma lawsuit saw Leavitt’s attorneys describing the future that awaits her as a result of her diagnosis, saying that mesothelioma is a “horrible asbestos disease that will result in her untimely death, a slow and painful death.”  They attorneys went on to point out that the same product that they believe sickened their client has been used on countless infants while the company earned remarkable profits. They asked for millions in both compensatory damages and in punitive damages meant to serve as a punishment for the company’s disregard for human safety.

For its part, the attorneys representing the corporate giant indicated that the accusations were incorrect and that it was “an impossible task” to try to interpret what corporate documents written years ago meant since their authors were not present to provide explanations. There have been numerous lawsuits filed against Johnson & Johnson, accusing the company of being responsible for diagnoses of both malignant mesothelioma and ovarian cancer in women who used the product for feminine hygiene.

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, it is likely a result of an asbestos company showing disregard for those who might be exposed to the carcinogen in their product. For information on how asbestos can lead to illness, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net at  1-800-692-8608.

Written by Terri 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