A jury in Los Angeles, California has awarded $4.8 million to a 78-year-old man who used Old Spice Talcum Powder every day for 22 years before he was diagnosed with mesothelioma.
The plaintiff is a 78-year-old Vietnam War veteran, grandfather, and retired school bus driver who was diagnosed with cancer in 2017.
He was specifically diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma, which is a rare type of lung cancer that is strongly tied to asbestos exposure.
In his lawsuit, his lawyers accused talc supplier Whittaker Clark & Daniels of selling talcum powder from a mine in North Carolina that the company knew was contaminated with asbestos.
Whittaker was found 42% responsible for his mesothelioma, with other companies also sharing responsibility, including Shulton Inc., the maker of Old Spice Talcum Powder that allegedly contained asbestos.
On April 15, after a 5-week trial in Los Angeles, the jury awarded him $1.8 million in compensatory damages for his injuries, plus another $3 million in punitive damages.
The lawsuit was filed in in 2018 the Superior Court of the State of California (Los Angeles County) — Case No. BC698965.
Source: LA Jury Hits Talc Supplier With $4.8 Million Asbestos Verdict