On Monday, August 21st, pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:$JNJ) lost a lawsuit and was ordered to pay a total of $417 million in damages to Eva Echeverria. $70 million was to be paid in compensatory damages and $347 million was paid in punitive damages. The lawsuit, which had been filed by Echeverria, stated that Echeverria had developed ovarian cancer after using Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based products, like its baby powder. She’d been using these products for feminine hygiene. The lawsuit was the biggest one the pharmaceutical company had faced in regards to failing to warn consumers about the risks of developing cancer after its talc-based products.

“We are grateful for the jury’s verdict on this matter and that Eva Echeverria was able to have her day in court,” Echeverria’s lawyer, Mark Robinson, stated. Robinson had argued that Johnson & Johnson promoted its products for female use despite knowing of studies that showed that using talc-based products to the genital could increase risks in developing ovarian cancer.

“We will appeal today’s verdict because we are guided by the science, which supports the safety of Johnson’s Baby Powder,” the company stated. Johnson & Johnson had argued in the trial that research done by the company and federal agencies did not show that talc-based products are carcinogenic.

Echeverria’s lawsuit was one of the first to go to trial. As such, Echeverria’s win signals a great loss for Johnson & Johnson, as the company is currently still dealing with about 4,800 similar claims in the United States. Prior to Echeverria’s case, Johnson & Johnson had gone to trial five times in Missouri – losing four of those trials – which resulted in a total of $307 million in verdicts.

Given just how many lawsuits Johnson & Johnson is facing, it might not be a good rest of the year for the company.

Featured Image: twitter