A Los Angeles jury has delivered a powerful rebuke to Johnson & Johnson, commanding the consumer health giant to pay a total of $966 million in a wrongful death lawsuit. The case centered on the death of Mae Moore, who passed away in 2021 from mesothelioma, a devastating cancer linked to asbestos exposure.

Her family successfully argued that her illness was a direct result of a lifetime of using Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based baby powder, which they alleged was contaminated with the carcinogenic fibers.

The monumental damages award is split into two distinct parts. The jury first awarded $16 million in compensatory damages to the family of Mae Moore, intended to cover the tangible losses and suffering associated with her illness and death. The far larger component, a staggering $950 million, was designated as punitive damages.

This portion is not for compensation but is intended specifically to punish Johnson & Johnson for its conduct. The jury’s decision to assign such a massive punitive figure suggests they found the company’s actions to be particularly reckless or negligent.

This verdict arrives amidst Johnson & Johnson’s ongoing and costly legal defense against tens of thousands of similar talc-related claims. While the company maintains that its talc products are safe, asbestos-free, and do not cause cancer, this ruling represents a significant legal and symbolic victory for plaintiffs.

Legal experts note that the punitive damages are likely to be contested, as they vastly exceed compensatory damages. However, the sheer size of the award sends an unmistakable signal about the perceived severity of the corporation’s alleged actions in the eyes of this California jury.