Manufacturers of consumer products have a duty to ensure that their product is safe for its intended use. When a product is unreasonably dangerous or suffers from some sort of manufacturing defect, the manufacturer may be liable for any injuries that result through a Florida product liability lawsuit. In addition, other parties in the chain of distribution may also be liable for a dangerous product.
Recently, manufacturing giant Johnson & Johnson has been named in several product liability lawsuits based on its baby powder and other talc-based products. Over recent years, the company has been hit with several multi-million-dollar verdicts. These cases are based on claims that the company knew that its talc-based baby powder could cause serious health problems, specifically, lung disease, ovarian cancer, and mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of internal organs that is associated with asbestos. Currently, there are an estimated 16,800 of these lawsuits pending against Johnson & Johnson.
In fact, in October of last year, Johnson & Johnson announced a recall of nearly 33,000 bottles of baby powder after preliminary tests indicated that there were trace amounts of chrysotile asbestos. The company later claimed that subsequent testing confirmed that there was no asbestos in the product. According to a recent report by the New York Times, the state government of New Mexico is the most recent party to file a claim against Johnson & Johnson.
What makes this claim unique is that it was filed by a state, rather than an individual who suffered the ill effects of the product. The state claims that Johnson & Johnson “concealed and failed to warn consumers about the dangers associated with their talc products.” The lawsuit is also unique in that it claims the company specifically targeted “children and black and Hispanic women.”
Under general product liability law, the manufacturers of a product can be held liable for the harm caused by a product even if the manufacturer is not aware of the dangers the product presents. The damages in these cases will typically be limited to compensatory damages. However, when the manufacturer has knowledge of a product’s dangerousness and conceals that knowledge, punitive damages may be awarded. In fact, in May of last year, a New York judge ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $300 million in punitive damages in a baby powder product liability case.
Have You Used Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder?
If you or someone you love has recently been diagnosed with cancer or another serious illness after using Johnson & Johnson baby powder, your illness may have been caused by the talc-based baby powder. At the Florida personal injury law firm, Friedman Rodman Frank & Estrada, P.A., we represent injury victims in all types of claims, including Florida product liability lawsuits. We have a track record of success over several decades, and pride ourselves in the exceptional level of representation we provide to each of our clients. To learn more, and to speak with an attorney about your case, call 877-448-8585 to schedule a free consultation today. Calling is free, and we will not bill you for our services unless we can successfully recover compensation on your behalf.