Boston Jury Hits Johnson & Johnson with Record $42M Verdict in Asbestos Baby Powder Case

Business Wire

3 days ago

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A Boston jury has sided with Paul and Kathryn Lovell in a lawsuit against cosmetic behemoth Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) that asserted Mr. Lovell's mesothelioma was directly caused by the company's iconic, asbestos-laced baby powder. The jury awarded $42,609,300, making it what lawyers believe to be the largest mesothelioma verdict in Massachusetts history.
For years, Johnson & Johnson ignored its own internal warnings and scientific evidence about the presence of asbestos in its talc. The jury has sent a strong message: Corporate misconduct will not be tolerated.'
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During the two-week trial, jurors heard compelling arguments from Dean Omar Branham Shirley attorneys Aaron Chapman and Danny Kraft, who detailed how Johnson & Johnson and its affiliated entities knowingly concealed for decades the health risks associated with their talc products.
The attorneys presented internal documents showing the company's awareness of asbestos contamination, its failure to adopt safer alternatives and systematic manipulation of scientific testing methods. The jury agreed that the company not only failed to warn consumers, but also actively misled the public and regulators by suppressing test results and spreading false assurances about product safety.
"This verdict is not just about Paul Lovell. It's about every consumer who was told these products were safe,' said Mr. Chapman. 'For years, Johnson & Johnson ignored its own internal warnings and scientific evidence about the presence of asbestos in its talc. The jury has sent a strong message: Corporate misconduct will not be tolerated.'
Mr. Lovell, 69, and his wife have been married for 45 years. A father of four, he used Johnson's Baby Powder on himself and his children, trusting it was safe. They have lived in the same home in Melrose, Massachusetts, for decades.
'Paul never worked in a factory, never used joint compound, and never had any occupational exposure to asbestos. Instead, like untold millions of Americans, he was a lifelong user of J&J's Baby Powder,' said Mr. Kraft. 'He trusted the product on himself and on his children.'
The jury found the company's actions amounted to negligence and breach of warranty. The Lovell family was also represented by Leslie-Anne Taylor of Thornton Law Firm LLP.
The case is Paul Lovell and Kathryn Lovell v. Johnson & Johnson, Civil Action No. 21-2086, filed in Middlesex County Superior Court in Massachusetts.
Dean Omar Branham Shirley, LLP, is a nationally recognized trial firm that handles cases across the country for individuals who have suffered catastrophic injuries or have died as a result of irresponsible conduct of others. For more information, please visit http://www.dobslegal.com.