Mesothelioma Lawyer Files Talc Lawsuit Against Johnson & Johnson
A 24-year-old with pericardial msothelioma claims that Johnson & Johnson baby powder is the cause of his cancer. The Oakland mesothelioma trial is the first trial to be held since J&J filed for bankruptcy and split off its talc division.
In the spring of this year, jury awards in New Jersey and California led to massive settlements in talc lawsuits. Plaintiffs linked cancer to asbestos found in J&J products Shower to Shower and baby powder.
What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma, which is a fatal type of cancer that affects the mesothelium, or the lining that surrounds organs and cavities within the body. It is usually found in the lungs, but it can also be found in the abdomen, heart and chest cavity as well as testicles. Asbestos is the most well-known mesothelioma-related cause, and people who have been exposed to asbestos are at a higher risk of developing this disease.
The first trial after J&J declared bankruptcy over its talcum powder division began in Oakland, California this week. Jurors were inspired by the story of the plaintiff. The plaintiff, who is just 24 years old was diagnosed with malignant pericardial mesothelioma in 2022. He attributed the cause of his illness to his early use of Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder. The jury awarded him $26 million.
J&J is accused of obfuscating asbestos risks from consumers for many years. The company has a long history of concealing asbestos-related information from regulators, as well as paying for asbestos tests that produced the results they wanted. These lawsuits have named several of the company's talcum-powder suppliers, including Whittaker Clark & Daniels, Imerys Talc America, and other companies.
Women who used talcum to provide feminine hygiene on sanitary pads or condoms as well as in the genital area have developed ovarian and mesothelioma. The lawsuits assert that J&J knew for more than 40 years that the powder could cause mesothelioma and ovarian cancer, but failed to warn customers of this danger.
The symptoms of mesothelioma are abdominal pain as well as abdominal swelling, abdominal lumps, and persistent coughing. Doctors can diagnose the condition through a physical exam and imaging scans. They can include CT (computer tomography) scans, MRIs and PET or X-rays.
If mesothelioma has been diagnosed patients may undergo surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy. The surgeons can remove affected tissue depending on the location of the tumors. Patients with mesothelioma may have a life expectancy less than five. However aggressive treatments like extracorporeal tissue transplantation or cytoreduction using hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy can prolong the life of patients.
What is the cause of Mesothelioma?
Like many cancers, mesothelioma develops by DNA mutations. These mutations cause the cells to multiply rapidly and develop tumors in tissues of the body. Asbestos is a common cause of mesothelioma. Exposure to asbestos can be found in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, mining, construction and transportation. Asbestos exposure usually occurs between in the 20 to 40 years preceding symptoms appear. Men are more likely to develop mesothelioma compared to women. It is also found most often in people between the ages 50 and 70. The type of mesothelioma a person gets is often determined by the area of their body in which they were exposed to asbestos. The majority of patients diagnosed with pleural msothelioma, which affects the lung. Some are diagnosed with peritoneal msothelioma. This kind of mesothelioma affects the abdomen. In addition, some individuals are diagnosed with pericardial mesothelioma, an extremely rare type of the disease that affects the lining of the heart (pericardium) and the organ itself.
The symptoms of mesothelioma are fatigue, breathlessness abdominal pain and weight loss. In the later mesothelioma stages, the tumors can spread to other parts of the body, which can cause severe pain and discomfort. Other symptoms that are common to mesothelioma include fluid on the lungs (pleural effusion) loss of appetite, difficulty swallowing, and a blockage of the small intestine, referred to as a bowel obstruction. Mesothelioma can be fatal.
The trial involving talcum powder in Oakland involved a man of 24 who developed pericardial mesothelioma from the use of J&J baby powder. His lawyers argued that the company knew talc could contain asbestos, but didn't inform consumers. They also cited a letter from 1998 to a J&J executive that revealed the possibility of asbestos in their products.
This is only the latest in a series of major verdicts against J&J. In March the jury awarded $18.8 million to a woman who developed mesothelioma of the ovarian tract from J&J's powder. Then, last month a jury in Missouri awarded $55 million in a different case that involved the same issue. Seven new cases have been added to the MDL talcum-powder in the last month, bringing it to 37,522 the total number of lawsuits pending. The majority of these lawsuits concern women who have used J&J's talcum powder to wash their feminine hygiene.
How Do I Know if I Have Mesothelioma?
The diagnosis of mesothelioma could be devastating. Patients should consult an expert to obtain the most accurate information possible and avoid misdiagnosis which could lead to unneeded treatment and allow cancer to spread more.
A physical examination and blood test is an effective way to determine whether mesothelioma is causing symptoms. These tests can be used to check for asbestos fibers in blood or to assess the health of a patient's internal organs. The most accurate method to diagnose mesothelioma is a biopsy. Doctors extract tissues or fluids from an affected area, and then look at them under a microscope for mesothelioma cancerous cells.
The type of mesothelioma that sufferers have can influence their prognosis. Pleural mesothelioma, that forms in the thin lining that surrounds the lung, is the most common form of mesothelioma and accounts for the majority of diagnosed cases. Peritoneal mesothelioma, a cancer that develops in the abdomen's lining, is less common. In addition, pericardial mesothelioma which is a rare type of cancer that develops in the heart's lining is much rarer and only makes up around 1percent of cases.
Some of the earliest symptoms include shortness of breath which gets worse with time and coughing up blood. Asbestos patients can also experience fluid accumulation within the chest cavity. This condition is called Pleural effusion. It can be eliminated by inserting a needle into the affected region of the chest cavity. In cary mesothelioma attorney may perform pleurodesis, an operation that seals the cavity in order to prevent fluid from accumulating again within the pleura.
A mesothelioma accurate diagnosis is essential to determining a patient's survival rate and treatment options. Treatment options include chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation are all options. Other options include immunotherapy, which is a kind of treatment that increases the immune system to fight mesothelioma cells and tumor-removing fields, which employ an electromagnetic field to kill cancerous cells.
A specialized mesothelioma specialist can also help patients understand the different mesothelioma cells, which determine how aggressive the cancer is and what the patient's prognosis is. Patients should discuss with their doctor their experience with asbestos exposure to determine whether mesothelioma could be an option and what treatment options are available.
How Can I Get Help?
If you used Johnson & Johnson talcum and developed ovarian or other illnesses such as mesothelioma following the use of the talcum powder, you may be entitled to a substantial amount of compensation. Contact us today to receive a no-cost, no obligation case assessment. We can help you bring mesothelioma lawsuit against J&J to ensure that they are held accountable for their negligence.
Mesothelioma, an uncommon and fatal illness caused by asbestos exposure, is a rare disease. Asbestos was once widely used in a wide range of consumer and industrial products, including baby powder. In talcum-powder cases plaintiffs assert that exposure to asbestos from inhaling the powder led to the development of mesothelioma, or other health issues.
J&J failed to inform the public about the dangers of talcum and asbestos even though they had been aware of their dangers for many years. Plaintiffs have filed mesothelioma lawsuits against the firm seeking compensatory and punitive damages. The claims have been combined in federal and state multidistrict litigations, or MDLs.
In 2018, one of the largest talc cases led to a $4.7 billion verdict in the favor of the plaintiff. It was a national news story that set the stage for the rest of the year. Last month, a court denied J&J's motion to dismiss the lawsuits filed by the state.
J&J however, attempted again to halt the litigation. The company established a new subsidiary entity to assume its talc liabilities and LTL Management filed for bankruptcy. The bankruptcy ended hundreds of talc suits however, the 3rd Circuit rejected that strategy.
The lawsuits filed by Mississippi are based upon the same allegations as those of the individual lawsuits filed against J&J. They assert that the company was negligent in not warning of the risk of ovarian carcinoma from talcum-powder and that this constituted an infraction to the law of the state.
J&J has submitted its motion to dismiss lawsuits before a different bankruptcy court. A hearing is scheduled for June to determine whether the lawsuits against J&J will be allowed to be pursued. If you or someone near you has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, or another condition that could be the result of talcum powder. You should seek legal advice as soon as possible. Our experienced attorneys will assist you in getting the compensation you deserve.