Johnson & Johnson Faces a Class Action Lawsuit in Canada over Their Talc Products
New talc lawsuits are being filed in courts around the U.S. The most recent was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on June 9, 2016, on behalf of a woman who died of ovarian cancer at the age of 58. But American women are not the only victims of dangerous talc products. According to Canadian Manufacturing, a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of eight plaintiffs and their families and estates, alleging that J&J was “negligent in the development, testing, design, manufacturing, licensing, distribution, marketing and sale of Johnson’s Baby Powder,” and that its product “is defective and inherently dangerous in that it causes, materially contributes to, and materially increases the risks of ovarian cancer in females who apply it (or who have it applied) to their perineal area.”
So far, the pharmaceutical giant has lost two induvial lawsuits in the U.S., and the plaintiffs have been awarded a total of $127 million. As we reported in May, Johnson & Johnson is facing 1,200 separate lawsuits, and a class-action case would not only be time- and cost-prohibitive, but would likely not be possible given that the facts are different for each individual case.
The Canadian plaintiffs, however, are choosing to band together for their suit, as it appears the facts in their cases are similar enough to warrant a class action. Canadian laws are, of course, different that American laws in regarding to civil suits, but we are curious to see if the winning cases here in the States will affect the outcomes for our neighbors to the North.
The dangerous of talc products
As more evidence is found, and more women and their families come forward, we can start to see the lengths Johnson & Johnson has gone to, by taking advantage of loose regulations over cosmetics by the Food & Drug Administration, as well dangerous marketing techniques applied specifically to minority women. As of now, J&J is still insisting that their products are safe, and that these lawsuits are baseless, but two juries in the U.S. have disagreed with those statements, and we believe that more juries are likely to do the same.
Johnson & Johnson faces millions, maybe billions, of dollars in damages if these lawsuits continue. It is time for them to own up and take responsibility for their practices and their products. It is the only way justice can be served.
McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC, is currently accepting cases from across the country. Our South Carolina defective products attorneys are dedicated to fighting for justice on behalf of victims and their families. To speak with one of our experienced mass tort attorneys, we invite you to call 803-327-7800 or fill out our contact form.
Randy is the former President of the South Carolina Association for Justice. He has been certified by the American Board of Professional Liability as a specialist in Medical Malpractice Law which is recognized by the South Carolina Bar. Randy has also been awarded the distinction of being a “Super Lawyer” 10 times in the last decade. He has over 25 years of experience helping injured people fight back against corporations, hospitals and wrong-doers.
Read more about S. Randall Hood