Johnson & Johnson being Sued over Asbestos and Opioids

Asbestos

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has faced many lawsuits in the last few years because of asbestos being discovered in their baby powder. Recently, a criminal probe has been launched into whether J&J knowingly lied to the public about the asbestos in their products.

J&J is facing several civil lawsuits from consumers who contracted ovarian cancer from their baby powder. J&J has been sued more than 13,000 times regarding failure to inform consumers that their talcum products contain asbestos.

J&J spokesperson states that they have received subpoenas and that they are fully cooperating with the DOJ investigation. On July 22, a federal judge will evaluate whether available evidence is admissible, in court proceedings.

Opioids

Every day in the United States, more than 130 people die from overdosing on opioids. The misuse of and addiction to opioids-including prescription pain relievers, heroin, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl-is a serious national crisis.

A seven-week trial just came to a close where Oklahoma Attorney general, Mike Hunter, sued J&J for deceptive marketing to doctors claiming that opioids are "safe and effective for every day pain." J&J has been referred to as the "kingpin" and "cartel" that is fueling the opioid crisis.

Perhaps the most powerful testimony was from Tonya Ratcliff, who is a foster mother to babies born addicted to opioids.

She describes the first days of withdrawal for the infants "hell on earth, and that's being polite about it." She talked about her foster babies crying for days as they went through withdrawal while the state of Oklahoma showed an image of a newborn's legs shaking uncontrollably as a result of the addiction.

Companies like Johnson & Johnson should be held accountable for their negligence, their failure to warn consumers of the associated dangers, and more. If you or a loved one has been injured due to the use of a talcum powder product or an opioid, do not hesitate to schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys today.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4

from California Mesothelioma Law Blog https://ift.tt/2JBZEO2