Ky. Appellate Court Reverses Defense Verdict for J&J in Asbestos Cosmetic Talc Case

LOUISVILLE, Ky. –– A Kentucky appellate court has reversed a defense verdict entered in favor of Johnson & Johnson in an asbestos-containing cosmetic talcum powder lawsuit, finding that the trial court’s decision allowing the defendant to elicit “irrelevant personal and family use testimony from its witness” prejudiced the plaintiff.

In the Jan. 29 opinion, the Kentucky Court of Appeals reversed and remanded the case for a new trial against Johnson & Johnson.

The claims were brought on behalf of Donna Hayes, who was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2016. The plaintiffs said that Hayes had used Cashmere Bouquet since the 1960s, …