A jury in Portland, OR, has ordered Johnson & Johnson (J&J) to pay $260 million to a mother of three suffering from mesothelioma.
 
Kyung Lee, 49, from Beaverton, OR used J&J cosmetic products throughout her life and has been diagnosed with cancer of the lining of the lungs caused by exposure to asbestos. 
 
Lee’s attorney Ben Adams of Dean Omar Branham Shirley, said, “For years, Kyung and her family used Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder not having any idea it could lead to a life-ending illness. Today, Ms. Lee was able to see justice and secure a future for her family after she is gone.”
 
The jury awarded $60 million in compensatory damages and $200 million in punitive damages.
 
The jury decided that J&J was responsible for Lee’s illness. During the trial, the jury heard testimony and saw evidence of the pharmaceutical company testing the talc powder, finding asbestos, but not taking the product off the market until recent years.

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