Rise in Talc Cases Reshapes Traditional Asbestos Litigation

A recent rise in litigation linking cosmetic talc with mesothelioma and lung cancer will continue throughout 2020, despite companies abandoning the product in the hope of avoiding costly verdicts. The number of legal cases is expected to increase by 10% this year, building on an 11% rise in 2019, according to KCIC, a well-regarded consulting firm based in Washington, D.C., that manages asbestos product liabilities. “A new trend we have started to see is talc allegations showing up in traditional asbestos complaints,” said KCIC Vice President Michelle Potter during a recent webinar that looked at past litigation and future projections. Potter’s presentation detailed mesothelioma lawsuits and lung cancer complaints that were filed individually, excluding multidistrict litigation. It also excluded the much larger number of ovarian cancer cases that dominate the talc litigation arena today. Ovarian cancer plaintiffs have been awarded more than $5 billion since the first case was settled in 2013. There are more than 9,000 talc cases currently pending that involve ovarian cancer. “What is so unique about cosmetic talc litigation is that, not only are many of the products still on the market, but so much of what’s understood about the science and the legal landscape is unfolding in real time through these cases being litigated,” attorney Jim Kramer of Simmons Hanly Conroy said during the webinar. Talc Litigation Rising Significantly The first mesothelioma case involvin...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Source Type: news