Defendants:
- Johnson & Johnson
- Imerys Talc America Inc.
- Colgate Palmolive
Defendant Law Firm:
Johnson & Johnson: Alexander Calfo of King & Spalding LLP, Kimberly Branscome, and Benjamin Sadun of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Imerys Talc America Inc.: Mark D. Collins, Michael J. Merchant, Marcos A. Ramos, and Amanda R. Steele, of Richards Layton & Finger PA. Jeffrey E. Bjork, Kimberly A. Posin, Amy Quartarolo, and Richard A. Levy of Latham & Watkins LLP. Angela R. Elbert and Jason A. Frye of Neal Gerber & Eisenberg LLP. Allegations: Allegations include that the company knew about the risks of asbestos exposure from the company’s talc-based products causes ovarian cancer or mesothelioma, yet failed to warn the public. Lawsuits also claim J&J hid the fact that talcum powder contains asbestos.
Plaintiff Steering Committee:
Peter Angelos, Esq., The Law Offices of Peter Angelos, P.C. Janet Ward Black, Esq., Ward Black Law Roger Lane, Esq., Foley & Lardner LLP John Cooney, Esq., Cooney & Conway Steven Kazan, Esq., Kazan, McClain, Abrams, Lyons, Greenwood & Harley, PLC Peter Kraus, Esq., Waters & Kraus Joseph Rice, Esq., Motley Rice Russell Budd, Esq., Baron & Budd Michael Thornton, Esq., Thornton & Naumes
Lawsuit Status:
In the U.S., the earliest known asbestos-related lawsuit was filed by a woman in 1929 in the Newark (NJ) Federal Court. Along with her, at least 15 other individuals with asbestos-related claims were trying to get compensation. Unfortunately, the woman's lawsuit was thrown out in 1934, but it brought forth the wave of many such lawsuits. One of the biggest companies targeted by these lawsuits was Johns-Manville Corporation, which filed for bankruptcy in 1982. Asbestos MDL No. 875 was created in 1991 in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and is one of the largest and longest-lasting MDL. Till 2011, over 121,000 cases got transferred to this MDL, of which over 108,000 cases were settled, dismissed, or remanded, and around 13,000 are still pending. Status Of MDL: Active and on appeal
Important Verdicts & Settlements:
May 2019: A North Carolina jury awarded the estate of an erstwhile worker $32.7 million, considered to be one of the state’s largest mesothelioma verdicts.
January 29, 2019: Arkansas federal jury awarded more than $18 million in a lawsuit brought by the family of a mechanic, Ronald Burlie Thomas, who was diagnosed with mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure from automotive brakes, holding Honeywell and Ford Motor Co. responsible for the man's fatal condition.
November 13, 2018: A California jury awarded $30.2 million to a former construction worker who was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer caused due to asbestos exposure.
October 2018: A Massachusetts state court jury awarded $ 43.1 million to the family of the late Louis Summerlin, a former brake worker, to be paid by R.J. Reynolds.