New York State Judge Orders J&J to Pay $120 Million in Baby Powder Case

New York State Judge Orders J&J to Pay $120 Million in Baby Powder Case

A New York State Judge has ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $120 million in damages to a woman and her husband from Brooklyn after the woman alleged that she got cancer due to exposure to asbestos from using J&J baby powder.

After a 14-week trial, the $325 million that a jury had awarded the woman Donna Olson (67) and her husband Robert Olson (65) was reduced by Justice Gerald Lebovits of the state supreme court in Manhattan.

Justice Lebovits upheld the jury's finding but ruled on November 11 that the damages were too high and that the Olsons could either accept the reduced payout or have a new trial. The reduced payout includes $105 million of punitive damages and $15 million of compensatory damages, down from the original $300 million and $25 million, respectively.

While J&J did not respond immediately, the Olsons' lawyer said that they were satisfied with the verdict. He reportedly added that Donna Olson's mesothelioma was at an advanced stage and that they were hoping for the best. As per Donna Olson's testimony, she had been using Johnson's Baby Powder or Shower to Shower Daily for over 50 years.

According to Justice Lebovits, J&J had for years been knowingly deceitful about or wilfully blind to the potential health risks of its talc products in order to maintain market share and profit.

After a 2018 Reuters report stating J&J knew for years about the presence of asbestos in its talc products, the New Jersey-based pharma major has been facing intense scrutiny.