Jury awards $25M in Johnson & Johnson baby powder lawsuit

A Southern California jury has ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay more than $25 million to a woman who claimed in a lawsuit that she developed cancer by using the company’s talc-based baby powder.

Jurors on Thursday awarded $4 million in punitive damages after finding that Johnson & Johnson acted with “malice, oppression or fraud.”

A day earlier the panel ordered $21.7 million in compensatory damages for plaintiff Joanne Anderson. She suffers from mesothelioma, a lung cancer linked to asbestos exposure.

Johnson & Johnson says it’s disappointed in the decision and will appeal.

The 66-year-old Anderson alleged Johnson & Johnson failed to adequately warn consumers that its powder contains asbestos and could cause cancer – charges the company denies.

Johnson & Johnson faces numerous lawsuits over the cancer claim.