Florida Jury Awards $20M in Johnson & Johnson Talc Case
Table of Contents
Case Background
In a highly anticipated trial in Broward County, Florida, a jury delivered a decisive verdict against healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson. The case centered on the tragic death of Dr. Alberto A. Casaretto Sr., a long-time nephrologist in Fort Lauderdale, whose family sought justice over claims that the company’s talc-based consumer products caused his fatal cancer.
Dr. Casaretto, a Broward County resident, and his wife, Irene Casaretto, initially filed the lawsuit in December 2018, shortly after Dr. Casaretto received a devastating diagnosis. He continued his fight until his death in 2022 from malignant pleural mesothelioma. His son, Alberto Casaretto Jr., continued the wrongful death action against Johnson & Johnson, its subsidiary Johnson & Johnson Consumer, Inc., and several retailers.
Cause
The complaint alleged that Dr. Casaretto developed malignant pleural mesothelioma as a direct and immediate result of his long-term exposure to and inhalation of the Defendants' talcum powder products. Specifically, the Plaintiffs claimed that products like Johnson's Baby Powder and Shower to Shower contained or were contaminated with asbestos, asbestiform fibers, and other asbestiform particulates. The exposure, they alleged, took place over nearly five decades, from the late 1960s until 2018, at his home addresses. The particles, once inhaled, lodged in the pleura of his lungs, causing the cancerous changes.
Injury
Dr. Casaretto was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, an aggressive and deadly cancer that attacks the lining of the lungs and chest cavity, on October 30, 2017. The Plaintiffs underscored the exigent nature of his health condition from the onset of the diagnosis. After his death in 2022, the case converted to a wrongful death action pursued by his family.
Damages Sought
The Plaintiffs brought the action seeking monetary damages exceeding fifteen thousand dollars $15,000.00, exclusive of interest and costs, at the time of the initial complaint. The eventual trial aimed to recover significant compensatory damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and the family’s losses resulting from Dr. Casaretto's death due to the negligence and wrongdoing of the Defendants.
Key Arguments and Proceedings
The lengthy trial, which extended over seven weeks, featured intense debate between the parties regarding the science of talc, asbestos contamination, and corporate knowledge.
Legal Representation
Plaintiff(s): Alberto Casaretto | Irene Casaretto (and subsequently Alberto Casaretto Jr., for the Estate).
· Counsel for Plaintiff(s): Troy A. Rafferty | Christopher V. Tisi | Wesley A. Bowden | Catherine C. Darlson | John Uustal | Michael A. Hersh
· Experts for Plaintiff(s): Barry I Castleman | Richard Lawrence Kradin | David Madigan | Jacqueline Moline | Mark W. Rigler | Gilberto De Lima Lopes | Raphael Bueno | William E. Longo
Defendant(s): Johnson & Johnson, Inc | Johnson & Johnson Consumer, Inc | Publix Super Markets, Inc | CVS Health Corporation | Eckerd Corporation of Florida, Inc.
· Counsel for Defendant(s): Ryan S. Cobbs | M. Derek Harris | Ashley C. Drumm | Michael Brown | Andrea Cox | Holly L Weaver | Julia Stepanova | Kayla Keller Quintana
· Experts for Defendant(s): Sandra KB Kinsey | Richard Luther Attanoos | Gregory Bruce Diette | Matthew Sanchez | Suresh Moolgavkar | Paul Nony | Rachel Damico | Mary Beth Beasley | Alan M. Segrave | Ellen T. Chang | Dominik D. Alexander
Key Arguments or Remarks by Counsel
Claims
Attorneys for the Casaretto family focused their claims squarely on corporate concealment and the decades-long use of Johnson & Johnson’s products. They argued that Dr. Casaretto trusted the company’s advertisements, which marketed the talc as "pure" and safe for daily use.
Plaintiff counsel highlighted Dr. Casaretto’s routine: "He'd stand there every morning for 50 years, like we brush our teeth. A cloud, all the time, every day, for 50 years. Breathing it in, every day.” They contended that the company knew for decades that asbestos could be present in its mined talc, yet chose to continue using it rather than switching to a safer, proven alternative like cornstarch. Furthermore, the company allegedly selected testing protocols that were inadequate or unlikely to reliably detect the known carcinogen. The heart of their argument was that the company prioritized profit over safety and intentionally withheld the known dangers from the public.
Defense
The defense strongly refuted the allegations. Johnson & Johnson’s lawyers maintained that the company’s talc products never contained asbestos, or, even if they did, the levels were far too low to cause Dr. Casaretto’s mesothelioma. They pointed out that asbestos exists at low, "background levels" throughout the environment, arguing that the dose in their products was negligible and insufficient to pose a disease threat. Defense counsel asserted that the company acted responsibly and that its products were and remain safe. They argued that the Plaintiffs' scientific conclusions about asbestos in the talc were incorrect.
Jury Verdict
After weeks of testimony, the Broward County jury reached its final decision on Tuesday, October 28, 2025. The jury sided completely with the Casaretto family, holding Johnson & Johnson accountable for the death of Dr. Alberto A. Casaretto Sr.
The jury found that Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based products were contaminated with asbestos and that the contamination proximately caused Dr. Casaretto’s fatal malignant pleural mesothelioma. As a result of these findings, the jury awarded the Casaretto Estate $20 million in compensatory damages.
This verdict delivers a measure of long-awaited justice to the family, reaffirming the principle that manufacturers must be held responsible for marketing consumer products that they know, or should know, carry hidden and deadly risks. The outcome sends a powerful message about corporate accountability regarding products with long-term health consequences for consumers.
Court documents are available upon request at jurimatic@exlitem.com