According to a report from Reuters on Tuesday, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) must pay $260 million to an Oregon woman who said she developed mesothelioma, a cancer linked to asbestos exposure from inhaling the company's talc powder.
The verdict includes $60 million in compensatory damages and $200 million in punitive damages for Lee and her husband.
Reuters stated this decision arises as J&J seeks approval for a $6.48 billion settlement to resolve most talc-related lawsuits through a prepackaged bankruptcy.
Erik Haas, J&J's vice president of litigation, said the company plans to appeal, arguing the verdict contradicts decades of scientific evidence supporting the safety of their talc products.
The plaintiff in the case, reported to have been diagnosed with mesothelioma at 48, alleged exposure to asbestos-tainted talc for over 30 years, starting in childhood. A J&J lawyer suggested her illness might stem from asbestos exposure at a nearby factory.
J&J faces lawsuits from over 61,000 plaintiffs, mostly women with ovarian cancer. To finalize a bankruptcy settlement, J&J needs 75% of the remaining plaintiffs' support. Previous bankruptcy settlement attempts failed, but J&J remains hopeful.
Opponents filed a class action lawsuit on May 22, calling the settlement attempt a "fraudulent" misuse of the bankruptcy system. Reuters noted the mixed outcomes of past trials, including a $2.1 billion judgment in 2021 and recent varied verdicts.