Family members of a late woman blamed Johnson & Johnson for not warning customers about talc cancer risks. The court issued a verdict in February 2016 in favor of the plaintiffs that stipulated compensatory reward of $72 million. However, Johnson & Johnson won’t have to honor such an indemnification anymore.
J&J Won’t Pay the $72 Million Verdict that Supported Allegations of Uncommunicated Talc Cancer Risks
On Tuesday, Johnson & Johnson won a reversal of the $72 million verdict. The Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District annulled the outcome of the lawsuit due to a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision. The new decree limits the places where plaintiffs can file lawsuits. Therefore, the law wouldn’t allow the Alabama case to conduct a trial in St. Louis.
The February 2016 lawsuit that the late Jacqueline Fox’s family opened was just one of four jury awards worth $307 million in St. Louis state court alone. All these plaintiffs alleged similar accusations. J&J did not warn consumers properly of the threat their products with talc content pose to consumers. These skincare lotions present cancer risks of which many clients weren’t aware.
However, this chapter is only at the beginning for J&J. Despite the Tuesday verdict reversal, the company has to answer to other 4,800 discontent clients across the United States.
Most plaintiffs opened cases in Missouri. J&J won one trial in this state. However, other cases will be trialed in California, where a woman received a $417 million verdict due to uncommunicated talc cancer risks. Nonetheless, all Missouri cases that out-of-state residents opened are now in jeopardy.
The Supreme Court Limited the Number of Court States Where People or Entities Can Open Lawsuits
In June, the Supreme Court issued a significant decision in the Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. case. According to this, state courts don’t have the authority to hear allegations coming from non-residents who didn’t suffer the injuries in that precise state. On top of that, the limitation includes defendants with no locations in that particular state.
J&J was pleased with the Tuesday decision while the Fox family is considering an appeal. In the end, J&J won’t have to pay the $72 million award anymore.
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