If you have used baby powder or talcum powder sold by the Johnson & Johnson company, you may have a legal action against them. Thus far, more and 13-thousand women are part of a class-action suit claiming that the products caused cancer.
Now, the Justice Department is involved and has issued subpoenas to the company as it investigates claims that the Baby Powder contains asbestos. It was discovered years ago that asbestos causes cancer.
For the first time ever, Johnson & Johnson was forced to disclose the information in its annual report. The story was first disclosed at the end of 2018 in a report that J&J knew for decades that small amounts of asbestos had been found in its talc and powder products, but did not disclose to regulators or the public this knowledge.
The report, from Reuters, prompted a sell-off of J&J shares, causing the company a $40-billion dollar loss, and a public relations nightmare. Alabama is one of three states in particular, in which talc and asbestos are mined together. An Alabama woman has already won a multi-million case against the company.
Talc is used for is moisture-absorbing properties, while asbestos is used as insulation. Through the years, buildings have had the cancer-causing asbestos removed and replaced with safer types of insulation.
Roughly 8 out of 10 people who have the disease, mesothelioma, were exposed to asbestos. When asbestos fibers are inhaled, they travel to small air passages in the body and may eventually reach the abdomen.
Ovarian cancer is the other type at issue in the J&J cases. It is not clear why or how asbestos travels to the ovaries, but it is well documented.
If you have used J&J Baby Powder or Talc, and you have become ill, you will want to consult an attorney. You may use our Online Legal Directory to find a lawyer in your area.