OAKLAND - A jury has awarded a 61-year-old woman $12 million in damages in a verdict against Johnson & Johnson and Colgate Palmolive announced Wednesday.
The trial lasted seven weeks at Alameda County Superior Court, with closing arguments heard June 3.
Attorneys for plaintiff Patricia Schmitz argued that asbestos in the companies' talcum powder products caused her to develop mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lungs. Defense attorney argued that Schmitz's disease was spontaneous in nature.
The Schmitz trial is the latest among hundreds of cases pending against Johnson & Johnson around the country. Most have been filed by women alleging the powder caused them to develop ovarian cancer, though lawsuits alleging mesothelioma - a much rarer disease - are on the rise.
The story will be updated as more details are learned and with reaction.