New York judge orders J&J to pay $120m in damages in baby powder case

A New York state judge has ordered Johnson & Johnson (J&J) to pay $120m in damages to a New York couple, after the woman blamed that she got cancer due to asbestos exposure from using J&J’s baby powder.

New York Supreme Court judge Gerald Lebovits reduced the initial damage amount of $325m to be paid to 67-year-old Donna Olson and 65-year-old Robert Olson in May 2019 after a trial of 14 weeks, reported Reuters.

On 11 November, Lebovits in his verdict upheld the liability finding, but stated that the initial payout was too high, and the couple could either accept $120m or have a new trial on damages.

The reduced payout includes $15m of compensatory damages and $105m of punitive damages. This was reduced from the initial $25m of compensatory damages and $300m of punitive damages, reported the publication.

Donna Olson is suffering from mesothelioma and her disease is at an advanced stage.

Earlier, she had testified that she used the firm’s baby powder or shower to shower everyday for more than five decades.

Citing significant legal and evidentiary errors, Johnson & Johnson said it will appeal the verdict.

The company said: “We deeply sympathise with anyone suffering from cancer, which is why the facts are so important. We remain confident that our talc is safe, asbestos free, and does not cause cancer.”

J&J is also appealing a $2.12bn damages award given by the US Supreme Court in Missouri to women who blamed that the asbestos found in its baby powder and other talc products caused them ovarian cancer.