Maune Raichle Hartley French & Mudd, LLC Win Landmark Case Against Johnson & Johnson

NEW YORK and ST. LOUIS, June 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In the first Johnson & Johnson talcum powder trial in New York County, a New York jury has awarded a total of $25 million in compensatory damages and assessed $300 million in punitive damages against Johnson & Johnson on behalf of Maune Raichle Hartley French & Mudd, LLC (MRHFM) clients Donna and Robert Olson for Mrs. Olson's lifelong exposure to asbestos from her daily use of Johnson & Johnson's talcum powder products, Johnson's Baby Powder and Shower to Shower.

The close-knit trial team consisted of attorneys leading the four-month trial: Christian Hartley, Suzanne Ratcliffe and Margaret Samadi with MRHFM, and co-counsel the renowned Jerome Block of Levy Konigsberg, LLP of New York. 

"With hundreds of millions of children, women and men exposed to asbestos in Johnson's Baby Powder and Shower to Shower, an epidemic of mesothelioma was inevitable. We are gratified that the jury did not buy Johnson & Johnson's made-for-the-courtroom defense. Hopefully, the punitive damages award will convince Johnson & Johnson's management to remove its talc-based Baby Powder from the market and act more responsibly in the future," said Christian Hartley, partner at MRHFM.

Despite Johnson & Johnson's continued denial of the presence of any asbestos in their talcum powder products, the jury was given significant evidence to the contrary, including countless documents showing Johnson & Johnson's knowledge of and active concealment of asbestos in their talcum powder products. 

The jury also heard from a number of witnesses including the former Johnson & Johnson liaison with consumers and medical professionals who for years reassured the public of the safety of Johnson's talcum powder products despite never being shown any of the internal documents from numerous testing facilities repeatedly finding asbestos over the course of decades beginning in the 1950s.

"We are extremely grateful for the dedication of the jury and hope that our case raises awareness about asbestos in talc," said Robert Olson. "Johnson & Johnson should take responsibility for their actions and should not continue to sell baby powder with talc. If you have to test for asbestos, why would you use talc?"

With offices in nine states, MRHFM is based in St. Louis. The firm has 60 attorneys and 200 employees – each solely dedicated to assisting mesothelioma victims and their families. The firm's exclusive focus on mesothelioma cases allows it to quickly respond to client claims and work for maximum recovery. The firm has represented thousands of mesothelioma victims. www.mrhfmlawfirm.com

SOURCE Maune Raichle Hartley French & Mudd, LLC