NJ couple awarded $37 million in talcum powder lawsuit

A New Jersey jury awarded $30 million in compensatory damages to a man who contracted cancer after decades of using talcum powder, while his wife was awarded $7 million in damages, CNN reported.

The jury in Middlesex County sided with Stephen Lanzo, who said he used Johnson & Johnson products like Shower to Shower and Baby Powder for more than 30 years. He claimed that inhaling the powder caused an aggressive cancer that impacts the lining of the lungs, CNN reported.

Lanzo's case was the first to go to trial in New Jersey, the home state of Johnson & Johnson.

In this case, the jury awarded $7 million to Kendra Lanzo and $30 million to Stephen Lanzo, with Johnson & Johnson getting 70 percent of the liability and Imerys Talc, a supplier of the mineral, liable for 30 percent.

"While we are disappointed with this decision, the jury has further deliberations to conduct in this trial and we will reserve additional comment until the case is fully completed," said Carol Goodrich, a spokeswoman for Johnson & Johnson.

Imerys Talc did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but a spokesman told Courtroom View Network that the company intended to appeal, CNN reported.

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