An investment banker in America has contracted mesothelioma, a rare type of cancer, after using talcum based Johnson & Johnson products for over thirty years.
Forty-six year old Stephen Lanzo from New Jersey argued that his cancer was caused by asbestos which was contained in the talcum powder based products, and that the company had not warned the public of the risks.
Mesothelioma is a rare type of lung cancer caused by inhaling asbestos fibres, and it can often take years, sometimes decades, to develop. It is invariably fatal and the life expectancy from diagnosis is only twelve to twenty-one months.
It has been illegal for talcum powder products to contain asbestos since the 1970s, and Johnson & Johnson had argued that their talcum powder did not contain traces of asbestos.
There are currently a large number of claimants who have raised Court actions in the United States against Johnson & Johnson (as well as other companies) citing a link between contracting cancer after using talcum powder products, but this is the first time that an individual has been successful in a claim against Johnson & Johnson for cancer caused by asbestos.
If you think you have contracted mesothelioma due to exposure to asbestos, get in touch with our expert personal injury claims team.
