Los Angeles Jury Delivers $40 Million Verdict Against Johnson & Johnson in Talcum Powder Ovarian Cancer Trial

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A Los Angeles Superior Court jury has returned a $40 million verdict against Johnson & Johnson, finding that the company's talc-based baby powder products caused ovarian cancer in two women following decades of regular use.

The verdict finding Johnson & Johnson liable for negligence, failure to warn, and fraudulent misrepresentation awarded $40 million in compensatory damages to Monica Kent, Deborah Schultz, and Dr. Albert Schultz. The cases were tried jointly in a six-week trial before a California jury.

The plaintiffs were represented by Dan Robinson of Robinson Calcagnie, Inc. and Andy Birchfield of the Beasley Allen firm. 

"This verdict reflects what the evidence made clear," said Dan Robinson, trial counsel for the Plaintiffs Deborah and Albert Schultz. "For decades, Johnson & Johnson knew about serious safety concerns tied to its talc products and failed to warn women who trusted those products for daily personal use. We're grateful that the jury was able to see through Defendants' false narratives and hold them accountable for causing our clients' ovarian cancers."

During trial, jurors heard extensive testimony concerning Johnson & Johnson's internal knowledge regarding the risks of talc and asbestos in its Johnson's Baby Powder and Shower to Shower, as well as scientific and medical evidence linking long-term genital talc use to ovarian cancer. The evidence included testimony from former U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. David Kessler, who outlined Johnson & Johnson's decades-long failure to disclose critical safety information.

Jurors also heard from nationally-respected medical experts who testified about talc and asbestos found in the plaintiffs' reproductive tracts, and peer-reviewed scientific studies showing genital use of talc significantly increases the risk of ovarian cancer.

The verdict represents a major victory for plaintiffs in California's coordinated talc proceedings in the first talc-related ovarian cancer trial since the company's bankruptcy filings were rejected by federal courts last year.

"We're grateful that the jury saw through Johnson & Johnson's confusion and returned this significant verdict both for the Schultzes and Ms. Kent, but also for the tens of thousands of women who have been harmed by Johnson's Baby Powder," said Paul Dagostino, trial counsel for the plaintiffs.

The cases are Deborah Schultz et al. v. Johnson & Johnson et al., Case No. 20CV0476, and Monica Kent v. Johnson & Johnson et al., Case No. 17CV318672, which were pending in the California State Court Coordinated Proceeding JCCP No. 4872, Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder Cases.

About Robinson Calcagnie, Inc.

Robinson Calcagnie, Inc. is a nationally recognized plaintiffs' law firm based in Newport Beach, California, focused on complex litigation involving dangerous products, corporate misconduct, environmental harm, and catastrophic injury. The firm is known for its trial-driven approach and commitment to holding powerful defendants accountable. Learn more about Robinson Calcagnie, Inc. at www.robinsonfirm.com.

SOURCE Robinson Calcagnie, Inc.