Illinois Jury Awards $45 Million in Mesothelioma Case Against Johnson & Johnson, Kenvue, Inc.
2024年4月20日 - 9:50AM
ビジネスワイヤ(英語)
Dean Omar Branham Shirley represents family of
deceased woman
A jury in the Circuit Court of Cook County in Chicago found
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) and two subsidiaries liable in the
asbestos-related death of a mother and grandmother, and awarded her
family $45 million in damages.
The jury concluded that Theresa Garcia’s lifelong use of
talc-based Johnson’s Baby Powder and other products was the cause
of her mesothelioma, an always-fatal cancer of the lining of the
lungs caused by exposure to asbestos. Laboratory testing has shown
the presence of asbestos in some samples of Johnson’s Baby
Powder.
The trial follows two Johnson & Johnson bankruptcy filings
that stayed litigation in this and thousands of other cases
involving asbestos and talc.
“After years of delay caused by Johnson & Johnson’s bad
faith abuse of the bankruptcy system, we are so grateful that the
jury saw through Johnson & Johnson’s, Johnson & Johnson
Holdco, Inc.’s and Kenvue, Inc.’s deceptions. The defendants knew
that talc contains asbestos impurities that were mined and put in
the bottles of baby powder J&J sold,” said attorney Jessica
Dean of Dallas’ Dean Omar Branham Shirley who represents Ms.
Garcia’s family along with the firm’s Ben Adams and Mark Buha, and
Christian Luciano Santiago of Vogelzang Law. “Not only did the
defendants’ negligence and deceit cheat loyal customers like
Theresa, but their deception has ultimately robbed a family of
their mother.”
Throughout her life, Ms. Garcia, a mother of six from Chicago,
frequently used talc-based Johnson’s Baby Powder on herself and,
later when she became a mother, on her children.
Attorneys for Ms. Garcia demonstrated that the talc-containing
products manufactured by Johnson & Johnson also contained
asbestos fibers. Experts explained that the daily use and amount
inhaled by Ms. Garcia throughout her life led to her mesothelioma.
She was diagnosed in January 2020 and died in July of that
year.
“Ms. Garcia’s case was delayed by several years when Johnson
& Johnson filed two bad faith bankruptcies in an attempt to
avoid the decades of liability it now faces,” said Mr. Adams.
“During the pendency of those bad faith bankruptcies, Johnson &
Johnson engaged in a corporate shell game creating Kenvue, Inc.
(NYSE: KVUE) The Cook County jury found that Kenvue is responsible
for 70% of Mrs. Garcia’s injuries and death as the successor in
interest to Johnson & Johnson. The jury also put 15% of the
responsibility on Johnson & Johnson and 15% on Johnson &
Johnson Holdco, Inc.”
Ms. Garcia is survived by her children Stephanie Salcedo,
Vanessa Garcia, Edward Cerda, Jr., Jazmine Cerda, Caressa Garcia,
and Anyssa Cerda.
The case is Stephanie Salcedo et al., vs Cyprus Amax Minerals
Company, et al., Case No. 2020 L 004505 in Circuit Court in Cook
County, Illinois.
About Dean Omar Branham Shirley, LLP
Dean Omar Branham Shirley, LLP is a national and recognized
trial firm that handles cases across the country for individuals
who have suffered catastrophic injuries or have died as a result of
the irresponsible conduct of others. For more information, please
visit http://www.dobslegal.com.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240419166582/en/
Mark Annick mark@androvett.com 800-559-4534