New Jersey Baby Powder Cancer Lawsuits Nearing 200

The amount of Johnson & Johnson's baby powder lawsuits in New Jersey is likely to break 200 by summer's end, with 175 currently filed.

Monday, June 20, 2016 - The number of talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuits currently filed in New Jersey multicounty litigation has risen to 175 after 19 claims were filed in the space of nine days. The newest group of lawsuits were reported in the June 11th case list on the New Jersey courts website. From May 31 to June 8, the 19 baby powder cancer lawsuits all join the multicounty litigation pending before the Atlantic City Superior Court.

All of the talcum powder lawsuits claim that Johnson & Johnson is responsible for not warning consumers of the link their baby powder has been medically proven to share with ovarian cancer. The plaintiffs claim that their buying preferences would have been influenced if such a warning would have been attached to the product, and that Johnson & Johnson was aware of the correlation between talcum powder and ovarian cancer for at least a decade before the lawsuits began to be filed. Johnson & Johnson has maintained that it has relied on its own medical studies that find no link between talcum powder and ovarian cancer, however the most recent studies have mostly fallen in line with the research that connects talcum powder to an increased risk for contracting ovarian cancer.

Doctors who have investigated the link have found talc particles in the tumorous tissue removed from ovaries, as well as conducted large studies with thousands of participants that have revealed up to a 33 percent increased risk for ovarian cancer for women who used the substance genitally. The research has been referenced by talcum powder cancer lawyers in a pair of trials that elicited huge awards for the plaintiffs this year in the U.S.

The two trials both took place before the City of St. Louis Circuit Court and fetched $127 million total between the two plaintiffs. The $72 million and $55 million awards were won in February and May, respectively, and set a staggering precedent for potential plaintiffs who may be considering filing Johnson & Johnson's baby powder lawsuits. Many of those influenced were likely a part of the most recent New Jersey litigants who are looking to recover damages from Johnson & Johnson over putting them at unnecessary risk for ovarian cancer.

The litigation in New Jersey began as dozens of lawsuits spread around the state until a November decision consolidated all of the lawsuits before a single state judge. At the time of the initial consolidation, only 103 talcum powder cancer lawsuits were transferred to multicounty litigation. Since that time, however, 72 more lawsuits have been added to the litigation. The number of lawsuits is likely going to continue to grow as news of the two massive jury awards spreads around the country.

The lawsuits will also likely take off in New Jersey as it is the home of the main defendant in the lawsuits, Johnson & Johnson. Though most of the Johnson & Johnson's baby powder cancer attorneys have been involved in trials based in Missouri, legal action will likely also take place in New Jersey because of the court's proximity to the Johnson & Johnson headquarters. For the time being however, the next scheduled talcum powder lawsuit trial will take place before the City of St. Louis Circuit Court in September.

Information provided by TalcumPowderCancerLawsuit.com, a website devoted to providing news about talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuits, as well as medical research and findings.