West Virginia plaintiffs who have filed lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson for injuries suffered from the use of talc powder recently learned of a positive development in the case. A judge has allowed the plaintiff’s scientific expert witness to testify about the connection between talc powder and ovarian cancer.
Before this decision, the court initially needed to establish the experts’ credentials and recognize their ability to testify. Oftentimes, a plaintiff’s case will come down to the expert testimony. This is why the defendants will always try to challenge the plaintiff’s expert and try to keep them out of court.
There are over 16,000 cases that are part of the multidistrict litigation against Johnson & Johnson. The specific allegation is that talc powder causes cancer because it is tainted with asbestos. The expert testimony will delve deeper into this connection as the witnesses testify about the risk factors and causes of ovarian cancer and the toxicity of talc powder. Johnson & Johnson has recently pulled the product from the U.S. market because the FDA tested several samples that were found to contain asbestos. Nonetheless, the company continues to maintain that the product is safe despite decades of research to the contrary.
Based on verdicts in state court cases, talc powder may end up being one of the costliest mass tort lawsuits in history. Ovarian cancer is a deadly disease that causes mass damage to patients. They may be entitled to substantial financial compensation for their injuries. Injured consumers should contact a mass torts lawyer to learn more about how they can file their own case as part of the major multidistrict litigation.
