Asbestos in talcum powder poses threat to consumers’ safety

Last month, we dedicated a blog post to the subject of talc and dangerous it can be. There are numerous similarities between talc and asbestos, which is why it can be important for people to understand that exposure to either talc or asbestos fibers can dangerous. In that blog post, which can be read in full by clicking here, we noted that it can be crucial to take legal action if you have gotten sick as a result of exposure to talc.

That is exactly what one woman did after she was diagnosed with mesothelioma. Many people in this situation would immediately assume that their illness was caused by asbestos exposure on construction sites or in ships, old buildings, mines or manufacturing plants. However, in this woman’s case, she was exposed to asbestos through the talcum powder she used.

According to her lawsuit, the woman used the talcum product manufactured by Colgate-Palmolive Co. without knowing it was evidently contaminated with asbestos. It was argued that the company made a dangerous product and failed to warn consumers about the potential health risks of using the product.

After just two hours of considering all the evidence presented at the trial, a jury determined that the company was 95 percent responsible for the 73-year-old woman’s illness and damages suffered by her husband. They were awarded a total of $13 million. It is likely that they could have received more but the two sides agreed to a settlement before evidence pertaining to punitive damages could be presented in front of a jury.

This case should serve as a strong example of what can happen when victims of devastating illnesses caused by dangerous products take action to hold the appropriate parties accountable. Even if the product was used decades ago, victims can hold manufacturers, designers or distributors responsible if that defective or dangerous product is linked to a serious illness.

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Jury awards woman $13M for exposure to asbestos in talcum,” Brian Melley, April 29, 2015