A Louisiana woman recently filed a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson, alleging she was exposed to asbestos in talc products, including the company’s popular baby powder.

The plaintiff, Marilyn R., says she was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma on Aug. 24, 2017, which she alleges is a result of exposure to asbestos in talc products from Johnson & Johnson—namely, the company’s baby powder products.

According to the lawsuit, Marilyn began using Johnson & Johnson baby powder as part of her daily feminine hygiene routine in around 1948, and continued this usage through the late 1970s.

As a result of her exposure to asbestos in talc products over these many years, Marilyn claims, she was eventually diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma. Marilyn alleges that she was not adequately warned of the risks related to asbestos in talc products and, had she been so warned, she could have chosen a safer alternative.

Marilyn filed her asbestos lawsuit on March 19, 2018 in the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans in the State of Louisiana. The lawsuit was filed on multiple counts.

Asbestos in Talc Products

Some baby powder products are (or used to be) based off of a substance known as talc. However, studies have found asbestos in talc products, placing patients at serious risk of asbestos-related diseases. Furthermore, the use of talcum-based powders—including Johnson & Johnson’s popular Shower to Shower—has been linked with an increased risk of cancer diagnosis.

While Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder products have been popular for decades, and have even been advertised and used as a feminine hygiene product, an ever-growing pile of litigation claims that using the product in this manner may put women in danger of developing cancer.

On top of claims of mesothelioma from asbestos in talc products, these products have also been linked with ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is the fifth highest ranking in cancer deaths among women, affecting mainly older women, and is difficult to detect early on. This means it is often diagnosed after it has reached its later and more dangerous stages.

Filing a Baby Powder Lawsuit

Lawsuits allege that Johnson & Johnson failed to give adequate warning about the risk of cancer linked with its baby powder products, and even misrepresented the safety of the products in its advertising, despite knowledge of the connection between cancer and talcum powder.

So far, Johnson & Johnson has been ordered by jurors to pay millions to injured plaintiffs and their families. Earlier this month, J&J was hit with a $4.7 billion verdict over claims of asbestos contamination in the company’s talc products.

If you or someone you love has been exposed to asbestos in talc products leading to cancer diagnosis, you may be able to file a baby powder lawsuit. While filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by cancer, and cannot bring a loved one back to life, it can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses and lost wages.

The Asbestos in Talc Products Lawsuit is Case No. 2:18-cv-02922-JCZ-JVM, in the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans in the State of Louisiana.