A Los Angeles jury has ordered Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiaries to pay $32 million to the family of a woman who died from mesothelioma after using asbestos-contaminated talc products. The verdict, delivered in the Superior Court of California for the County of Los Angeles, found the company liable for the illness and death of Maria Lozano, who passed away in 2024. Her children, John Lozano, Araceli Lenard-Lozano, and Jeanette Lozano, continued the lawsuit following her death.

The trial centered on Lozano's use of Johnson & Johnson's talc-based baby powder from the early 1970s. Attorneys for the family argued that decades of exposure to the product caused her fatal cancer. The jury rejected Johnson & Johnson's defense, which claimed Lozano's asbestos exposure stemmed from environmental conditions in Mexico City, cosmetic products, and her husband's automotive work. The verdict form assigned 0% fault to these alternate sources.

Legal Proceedings and Findings

The case, titled Lozano v. Johnson & Johnson, was part of the Coordinated Proceeding Special Title LAOSD Asbestos Cases under Coordinated Case No. JCCP 4674. During the trial, evidence was presented showing that Johnson & Johnson failed to adequately warn consumers about the dangers associated with asbestos-contaminated talc despite longstanding knowledge of the risks.

Attorneys from Dean Omar Branham Shirley, LLP, represented the Lozano family. Danny Kraft, one of the attorneys, stated that the jury carefully considered the evidence and concluded that Lozano's mesothelioma was caused by exposure to asbestos-contaminated Johnson's Baby Powder. Mark Linder, another attorney for the family, emphasized that the verdict holds Johnson & Johnson accountable for the harm caused.

Verdict Details

The jury's decision underscores the ongoing legal challenges Johnson & Johnson faces regarding its talc products. The $32 million award is intended to compensate the family for their loss and the company's failure to warn consumers of the associated risks.