BOSTON–A Massachusetts jury has awarded more than $3.3 million to the family of a woman who died from mesothelioma after years of using Johnson & Johnson’s talcum-based baby powder, finding that the product was defectively designed and that the company failed to adequately warn consumers about its risks.
The verdict, secured by national plaintiffs’ law firm Dean Omar Branham Shirley LLP (DOBS), followed a trial in Suffolk County Superior Court involving Winifred “Missy” Haddad, who was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2020 at age 66 and died approximately six months later.
Haddad’s family alleged that prolonged exposure to asbestos-contaminated Johnson & Johnson baby powder caused her cancer.
Jurors determined that the company’s baby powder was defectively designed and that Johnson & Johnson failed to provide adequate warnings about potential dangers associated with the product. The jury also found that the company’s negligence was a substantial contributing factor in Haddad’s illness.
The jury awarded $500,000 for Haddad’s pain and suffering, $750,000 to her husband, Hani Haddad, for the loss of companionship, care and affection during her lifetime, and $664,990.10 in medical expenses. An additional $1.4 million in prejudgment interest brought the total award to approximately $3.325 million.
During the trial, attorneys representing the family presented evidence concerning Johnson & Johnson’s knowledge of potential asbestos contamination in talc products and its alleged failure to adequately inform consumers about those risks.
“We are incredibly grateful for the time and attention of the jury. Missy Haddad was a beloved wife, mother, nurse and writer who suffered terribly from a preventable cancer,” said Jessica Dean, a Partner at Dean Omar Branham Shirley, who represented the family alongside attorney Aaron Chapman.
“Juries across this country have found J&J failed to respect basic safety laws and J&J refuses to admit any wrong. We hope they will admit fault and do better.”
The Massachusetts verdict is the latest in a series of jury awards obtained by the law firm in litigation involving asbestos exposure and mesothelioma.
The firm’s previous cases include a $1.56 billion verdict for Cherie Craft in Maryland, a $63 million verdict for Michael Perry in South Carolina, and a $45 million verdict for the family of Theresa Garcia in Illinois.
In Massachusetts, the firm also secured a $42.6 million verdict for the family of Paul Lovell and an $8 million verdict on behalf of Janice Paluzzi.
Other verdicts include a $32 million award for the family of Maria Lozano in California, a $25 million verdict for the family of Evan Plotkin in Connecticut, and a $10 million verdict for the family of Lynne Roy in Louisiana.
The case, Haddad v. Johnson & Johnson, was heard in Suffolk County Superior Court under case number 2081CV02285.
