The cruel irony of malignant mesothelioma is that the asbestos that causes the disease is so often meant to protect. It happened when the military ordered asbestos to be used, leading to countless veterans’ illnesses, and more recently it’s what led to Michael Perry’s diagnosis with the fatal disease. Suffering from an allergy to most deodorants, he turned to Johnson & Johnson’s talc powder and used it for years. Now, he’s suing the company for failing to warn of its product’s dangers.
Man’s Mesothelioma Blamed on Johnson & Johnson Talc Products
Mr. Perry was just 53 years old when he was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, the rare form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. He points to his years of using Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder in place of traditional deodorant because of his allergy and asserts that the iconic product’s contamination with asbestos is responsible for his illness.
The mesothelioma lawsuit is being heard in a South Carolina state court overseen by Chief Justice Jean Toal, an experienced adjudicator who recently retired from the state Supreme Court to oversee its asbestos docket. As it has done in previous asbestos cases, Johnson & Johnson has insisted that its talc products have never been contaminated with asbestos. The company has suggested that Mr. Perry’s asbestos exposure may have come from years of exposure to brake pads in his father’s garage.
Mesothelioma Case Will Be Decided by South Carolina Jury
The jury hearing the mesothelioma case has been seated for over a week, with opening statements being presented on Tuesday, August 6th, and closing statements scheduled for today. Johnson & Johnson’s Worldwide Vice President of Litigation Erik Haas has indicated that the company will appeal the verdict if the jury favors Mr. Perry, saying, “The Court made a series of erroneous pre-trial rulings that deprive Johnson & Johnson of the opportunity to present its defense and, therefore, we already repeatedly moved for a mistrial and will appeal any adverse verdict that the rulings effectively ensure will be rendered.”
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, ovarian cancer, or another asbestos-related disease, you may be eligible to pursue justice against the companies that exposed you to asbestos. For more information, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608.
