In a significant legal blow to Johnson & Johnson, a Massachusetts jury has awarded $8 million in damages to Janice Paluzzi, a woman diagnosed with mesothelioma after decades of using the company’s talcum powder products. The verdict was delivered on June 24, 2025, in the case Paluzzi v. Johnson & Johnson by a Suffolk County jury.

Defective Design at the Core

Paluzzi, who was diagnosed with the rare and aggressive cancer in 2021, received $5 million for past pain and suffering and $3 million for future suffering. The jury concluded that J&J’s talc-based products, specifically Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower, were defectively designed and that the defect was a substantial factor in causing her illness.

Notably, the jury found liability solely on the grounds of design defect. Claims for failure to warn and breach of i