Talcum Powder Lawsuit Plaintiffs Often Don’t Live Long Enough to Get Their Day in Court

Many attorneys representing plaintiffs in talcum powder lawsuits are opposing an effort to centralize these cases to a federal court in Illinois because their clients don’t have long to live and may not even survive to see their day in court. According to a news report in Lawyers and Settlements, Johnson & Johnson has asked to have the lawsuits moved to its home state of New Jersey. Another plaintiff had previously petitioned to consolidate the case to Illinois because of its reputation as the transportation hub of the country.

Addressing Plaintiffs’ Needs

But attorneys for plaintiffs who are sick with ovarian cancer, which they say was caused by talcum powder use for feminine hygiene purposes, have suggested that such consolidation is not necessary because the general causation has already been litigated thrice in courts of law. Of course, the biggest and most poignant reason why consolidation of these cases wouldn’t be a good idea is the fact that such action would result in delays. And these plaintiffs – terminally-ill cancer patients – don’t have that kind of time.

The article gives the example of plaintiff Lisa Wilson who is in the late stages of ovarian cancer. Plaintiff advocates say that the only way these patients who are extremely ill will get their day in court is with the availability of multiple courts around the country to deal with the cases as opposed to one single, centralized court.

Talcum Powder Lawsuits Increase

A growing number of plaintiffs are filing lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson alleging that their use of body powder or talcum powder triggered their illness. These lawsuits point to a number of cases that point to a link between the use of talc in the female genital area and the onset of ovarian cancer. Talc is a mineral that is found naturally and is used in a variety of cosmetic products. Long-term use of talcum powder in the female genital area, many studies report, significantly increases a woman’s risk of getting ovarian cancer. One plaintiff, who was born in 1976, reported that she used talcum powder for feminine hygiene for most of her life and was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2011.

Did J & J Hide These Risks

Many of these lawsuits allege that Johnson & Johnson knew about the studies linking talcum powder use in the female genital area to ovarian cancer. However, they did nothing to warn consumers. Instead, they aggressively marketed and sold these dangerous and defective products. The talcum powder attorneys at Bisnar Chase are committed to representing the rights and interests of these women. They deserve justice and at the very least, their day in court.