Earlier this week, U.S. consumer product manufacturing giant Johnson & Johnson announced that it will no longer be selling the company’s talc-based baby powder products in the United States and Canada. The announcement comes after years of litigation surrounding allegations that the company’s talc-based baby powder may cause cancer. The announcement also follows last year’s recall of a batch of baby powder that was found to have potentially unsafe levels of asbestos, the cancer-causing agent that was at the center of the litigation.
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According to a recent news report, Johnson & Johnson stands behind the safety of its baby powder, and claims to have decided to stop selling the product due to shifting consumer habits, rather than safety concerns. Along those lines, a Johnson & Johnson representative issued a statement explaining that the company “remains steadfastly confident in the safety of talc-based Johnson’s Baby Powder” and that it will “vigorously defend the product, its safety, and the unfounded allegations against it and the company in the courtroom.”
Many women who used the product for long periods of time developed ovarian cancer. Over recent years, there have been several product liability lawsuits filed against Johnson & Johnson based on the company’s talc-based baby powder, resulting in billions of dollars in damages being assessed against the company. Several of these verdicts have been overturned by appellate courts, as the case against Johnson & Johnson presents several unique legal issues.
Illinois Product Liability Claims
Illinois law requires manufacturers to take certain steps to ensure the safety of their products. Typically, when someone is injured while using a product, there are three types of product liability claims that may be available to them:
- Manufacturing defect
- Design defect
- Failure to warn
Each of these claims differs in how it must be proven, and those who believe that they have been injured as a result of a dangerous or defective product should consult with a dedicated Illinois product liability attorney for immediate assistance. In many situations, product liability cases proceed under a theory of strict liability, meaning an injury victim does not need to show that the company was negligent. However, that does not necessarily mean that the company will acknowledge its responsibility; these cases often come down to causation, meaning whether the dangerous or defective product was the cause of the plaintiff’s injuries.
Have You Been Injured as the Result of a Dangerous or Defective Product?
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer after using Johnson & Johnson talc-based baby powder, or have suffered a serious injury due to another dangerous product, contact Moll Law Group. At Moll Law Group, we have assembled a dedicated team of Illinois product liability attorneys to assist injury victims and their families pursue fair compensation for what they have endured. To learn more, and to schedule a free consultation, call 312-462-1700. Calling is free, and because we represent clients on a contingency basis, we will not charge you for our services unless we can help you recover the compensation you deserve.