BOSTON, Mass. — A Massachusetts jury has awarded over $42 million to Paul and Kathryn Lovell in a landmark verdict against Johnson & Johnson, ruling that the company’s talc-based baby powder caused Mr. Lovell’s mesothelioma due to asbestos contamination. The award is believed to be the largest mesothelioma-related verdict in state history.
The Middlesex County Superior Court jury found Johnson & Johnson negligent and in breach of warranty after concluding the company knowingly concealed the presence of asbestos in its popular baby powder product for decades. Attorneys from Dean Omar Branham Shirley LLP, along with Leslie-Anne Taylor of Thornton Law Firm LLP, represented the Lovell family.
“This verdict is not just about Paul Lovell. It’s about every consumer who was told these products were safe,” said attorney Aaron Chapman. “For years, Johnson & Johnson ignored its own internal warnings and scientific evidence about the presence of asbestos in its talc. The jury has sent a strong message: Corporate misconduct will not be tolerated.”
During the two-week trial, attorneys presented internal Johnson & Johnson documents that revealed the company was aware of asbestos contamination, opted not to switch to safer alternatives, and allegedly manipulated testing procedures while misleading regulators and the public about the product’s safety.
Mr. Lovell, 69, a lifelong user of Johnson’s Baby Powder, was diagnosed with mesothelioma despite having no occupational exposure to asbestos. His wife of 45 years, Kathryn Lovell, joined him in the suit. The couple raised four children and have lived in Melrose, Massachusetts, for decades.
“Paul never worked in a factory, never used joint compound, and never had any occupational exposure to asbestos,” said attorney Danny Kraft. “Instead, like untold millions of Americans, he was a lifelong user of J&J’s Baby Powder. He trusted the product on himself and on his children.”
The case, Paul Lovell and Kathryn Lovell v. Johnson & Johnson, Civil Action No. 21-2086, marks a significant legal blow to the pharmaceutical giant, which continues to face thousands of similar lawsuits nationwide over its talc products.
