Johnson & Johnson Back on Trial in Mesothelioma Case

The second trial involving Johnson & Johnson’s iconic baby powder and its possible link to mesothelioma began this week in a Middlesex County, New Jersey, superior court. A jury in California two months ago — in a highly anticipated first trial — found the pharmaceutical giant was not responsible for a plaintiff’s mesothelioma, the rare asbestos-related cancer. Superior Court Judge Ana Viscomi opened the latest trial Monday in New Brunswick, New Jersey, just a few blocks from the world headquarters of Johnson & Johnson. The trial is estimated to last two months. Plaintiff Stephen Lanzo III, 46, of Verona, New Jersey, claims Johnson & Johnson knew its product contained traces of asbestos and failed to warn consumers, leading to his diagnosis two years ago. The company has maintained its products never contained asbestos. In its opening statements Monday, counsel for J&J offered several alternate theories for the source of Lanzo’s cancer: The home Lanzo grew up in received abatement in 2002 for basement pipes wrapped in asbestos. His brother testified that he would swing from the pipes as a child. Lanzo’s elementary, middle and high schools all had multiple rounds of asbestos abatement, according to the defense. New Jersey, the state where Lanzo spent most his life, has a high rate of asbestos exposure and high ranking for mesothelioma deaths. Trial Delayed After Evidentiary Dispute In the earlier California case involving Tina Herford, J&J ar...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Source Type: news