US EditionJury says Johnson & Johnson owes $40 million to 2 cancer patients who used talcum powders
The jury found Johnson & Johnson concealed risks of asbestos and talc linked to ovarian cancer, awarding $40 million to two women amid over 67,000 similar claims, court records show.
- On Dec. 18, 2025, a Los Angeles Superior Court jury returned a $40 million verdict, awarding $18 million to Monica Kent and $22 million to Deborah Schultz and Dr. Albert Schultz.
- Both women said they used talc-based baby powder for decades, with Kent diagnosed in 2014 and Schultz in 2018, and jurors heard peer-reviewed studies showing at least a 50% increased ovarian cancer risk.
- Jurors heard from Dr. David Kessler that internal J&J documents revealed decades of safety failures, with Andy Birchfield stating `Absolutely they knew, they knew, and they were doing everything they could to hide it, to bury the truth about the dangers.`
- Johnson & Johnson said it will immediately appeal the liability verdict and compensatory award and plans to challenge the decision, with Erik Haas calling the jury's findings `irreconcilable`.
- Amid broader litigation, Johnson & Johnson faces lawsuits from more than 67,000 plaintiffs with federal MDL bellwether trials for over 70,000 claims expected next year after a rejected $9 billion bankruptcy settlement attempt and prior verdicts reaching $4.69 billion and $966 million.
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Los Angeles Jury Delivers $40 Million Verdict Against Johnson & Johnson in Talcum Powder Ovarian Cancer Trial
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A Los Angeles Superior Court jury has returned a $40 million verdict against Johnson & Johnson, finding that the company's talc-based baby powder products caused ovarian cancer in two women following decades of…
A jury in Los Angeles awarded $40 million to two women who claimed that Johnson & Johnson (J&J)'s powder talc caused ovarian cancer. The firm immediately announced its intention to challenge the liability verdict and compensatory damages.
Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson has been ordered to pay $40 million in damages to two women who claim the company's baby powder caused their cancer, several media outlets report.
Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson has been ordered to pay $40 million in damages to two women who claim the company's baby powder caused their cancer, several media outlets report.
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The Associated Press - A Los Angeles jury awarded $40 million to two women who alleged that talc made by Johnson & Johnson caused them to develop ovarian cancer. The personal care company said it will appeal the verdict on liability and compensatory damages. Friday's ruling is the latest development in a protracted legal battle over allegations that Johnson's baby powder and Shower to Shower body powder were linked to ovarian cancer and mesothel…
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